ANAHEIM — Scratched from his scheduled start today by persistent tightness in his lower back, Felix Hernandez said he knew the Seattle Mariners had only his best interest in mind and appreciated their concern.
“But if it’s up to me, I’m pitching (today),” Hernandez said. “I want to be smart, but they pay me to pitch every fifth day.”
When will he pitch again?
Donning his Dr. Felix persona, Hernandez laid out his timetable: play catch Wednesday, work out on the off day Thursday and throw a bullpen session at Safeco Field on Friday.
“That would have me ready to start Sunday,” the doctor said.
The Mariners say he could pitch Sunday, but might need more time — and there’s another off day on Monday.
“We’ll play off how he feels,” Wedge said. “He’ll play catch (today) and we’ll see where he is and go from there.”
Hernandez — the pitcher, not the doctor — hasn’t thrown with any seriousness since Saturday in Chicago, when he slipped while making a pitch.
“It doesn’t hurt unless I lift my leg to throw,” Hernandez said. “I have to be perfect to feel nothing.”
How, he was asked, did he injure himself in the second inning and stay in the game through five innings?
“You know me,” Hernandez said. “I don’t want to come out and I hate missing a start. If it was up to me, I’d pitch on my turn to start. But I understand why they’re doing what they’re doing. They know what they’re doing.”
Big day for Seager’s
When Kyle Seager homered in Seattle’s victory Monday, it didn’t give him bragging rights in his family.
“I probably came in third at the breakfast table conversation this morning,” he said Tuesday.
Seager’s two younger brothers had, arguably, better days. Justin, a college sophomore, had a four-hit game and Corey, the youngest Seager, was taken in the first round of the amateur draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers.
“I was more excited when he was drafted than I was when I was picked in 2009,” Seager said. “He went No. 18, right out of high school. He has special skills, an awful lot of talent.
“All I had was the home run. Corey went in the first round of the draft and Justin had four hits. I think when my folks discussed the day this morning, I came in third.”
Short hops
Seager has the second-most extra bases hits among all American League third baseman (24), trailing only Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera (26). Seager began Tuesday’s game with 16 doubles, a triple and seven home runs. … Miguel Olivo leads all AL catchers in runners caught attempting to steal with 10. … Four Mariners with more than 60 at-bats against the Angels began the night with career averages below .200 against them: Olivo (.191), Brendan Ryan (.167), Seager (.183), and Justin Smoak (.183). In his first 19 career at-bats against Los Angeles, Jesus Montero hit .158
On tap
Seattle plays Los Angeles in Anaheim, a 7:05 p.m. game that will be televised on ROOT. Probable starting pitchers: Hector Noesi (2-6, 5.51) vs. Jerome Williams (6-2, 3.68)
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