PEORIA, Ariz. — When big-league baseball players get their photos taken for newspaper mug shots, baseball cards and various other media use throughout the season, there are frowners and there are smilers.
There’s also Seattle Mariners utility player and overall cutup Mike Morse.
“At first, I’m like this,” Morse said, scowling. “Then, right before they shoot the picture, I’m like this.”
He turned that frown into a toothy ear-to-ear grin.
Friday was photo day for the Mariners, meaning the 59 players in camp, the eight coaches, invited minor league coaches and training staff got into uniform and posed for all those shots that are shown on the stadium video board, newspapers and ballcards.
Besides still photos, several players also ere videotaped for public service announcements and between-inning features that will be shown at Safeco Field.
Beginning at 7 a.m., they all rotated through seven different stations, plus another for the players who are on World Baseball Classic rosters. That station had a rack of jerseys and caps from Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Canada, Australia, Netherlands, Korea and Mexico.
By 8:30, they were finished, almost without a hitch.
Yes, Morse played himself, especially for the photographer shooting players for baseball cards.
Morse took a mighty swing for him, then held his follow-through to pose for the camera. It would have made for a perfect picture except for one small detail.
Morse had swung left-handed. He’s a right-handed hitter.
The Griffey plan
The Mariners will work out and sign autographs in Peoria Stadium this morning during the annual FanFest before exhibition games begin next week.
No, Ken Griffey Jr. won’t be here for that.
He will, however, arrive in time for a 1:30 p.m. (MST) news conference before he goes through a hitting/stretching/running workout.
“He wants to come in as low-key as possible and we respect that,” manager Don Wakamatsu said.
The low-key part will end Sunday when Griffey works out with the team for the first time.
“We might not be able to get everybody out to stretch on time Sunday,” Wakamatsu said. “The young guys will be getting autographs.”
Wakamatsu said it’s too early to know how he’ll use Griffey or what it means to Endy Chavez, who would have been the everyday left fielder before Griffey signed.
“We won’t know that until we know how Junior feels and what he can do,” Wakamatsu said. “Endy is an integral part of this team. We’ve talked about defense and we’ve talked about speed and utilizing him in different roles.”
Situational hitting with a twist: Since the Mariners moved to Safeco Field nearly 10 years ago, there hasn’t been a manager who didn’t believe the key to offensive
success was better situational hitting.
Every year they would stress it during spring training, then when the season started have players hack away early in the count and focus more on home runs and less on hitting behind runners, etc.
Wakamatsu also is emphasizing small ball, but he plans to incorporate drills that better simulate game conditions and hope that helps the message sink in this time.
“You can put two-strike approaches or hit-and-run situations into batting practice, but they’re facing a 50, 60 mph batting practice arm,” he said. “If you had your druthers, you’d try to design every drill as close to the game (speed) and hopefully you’ll succeed at it.”
Of note
Outfielder Wladimir Balentien still hadn’t arrived in camp Friday, held up by visa issues. “The later it gets into spring, it’s tougher for us to evaluate him,” Wakamatsu said. … Add first baseman Russell Branyan and pitcher Tyler Walker to the injury list. Branyan had a stiff back and didn’t practice Friday, and Walker felt tightness in his right quad while covering first base during a fielding drill and immediately left the field. … Shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt (tight hamstring) has improved and may practice today. … Left-handed relievers Cesar Jimenez (biceps tendinitis) and Tyler Johnson (inflamed shoulder) have been playing catch but there’s no plan yet for when they’ll pitch off the bullpen mound.
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