Opponent: Minnesota Twins
When: 3:35 p.m.
Where: Safeco Field
TV: None
Radio: KOMO (1000 AM)
Pitchers: Seattle left-hander Bobby Madritsch (6-3, 3.27 earned run average in 2004) vs. right-hander Carlos Silva (14-8, 4.21)
Calm, cool Bobby
When Bobby Madritsch makes his first start of the season today, he’ll need to control his emotions as much as his pitches.
The 29-year-old left-hander has a fire in his belly that helped fuel his six victories last year, but it also has been an obstacle to his effectiveness. In his final exhibition start in Las Vegas last weekend, Madritsch became visibly upset and let his temper affect his pitches.
Pitching coach Bryan Price talked with Madritsch about it after the trip.
“Sometimes my emotions get the best of me, but I’m learning to control it now,” Madritsch said. “I can almost sense it when I feel it’s going to happen and I lose focus.”
The result, as it was in Vegas against the Chicago Cubs, is that Madritsch tends to leave his fastball up in the strike zone.
“You can’t throw 87, 88 (mph) up here without getting hurt,” manager Mike Hargrove said. “He needs to stay within himself and keep the ball down. He’s like any pitcher. When you keep the ball down, you have a chance to be successful.”
Madritsch was both dominant and vulnerable during spring, depending on where he lived in the strike zone.
“When I’ve struggled, it’s been because my ball’s been up,” he said. “I’ve got to keep the ball down and throw strikes.”
And, of course, keep his cool.
“When I’m not thinking clearly and I’m worrying about what happened a couple of pitches earlier, I’m not concentrating on my next pitch,” he said. “I have to stay within myself and stay in the game. When something bad happens in an inning, forget about it and move on.”
Reese has MRI: Shortstop Pokey Reese, on the 15-day disabled list because of a strained right shoulder, had a magnetic resonance imaging exam Tuesday, which revealed he does not have any serious damage.
Reese, who is eligible to come off the DL April 17, played only one game in the final week of spring training. His injury forced the Mariners to claim Wilson Valdez on waivers from the New York Mets.
Pineiro continues comeback: Pitcher Joel Pineiro, working his way back from a sore right shoulder, threw 81 pitches in a minor league game Tuesday at the Mariners’ training facility in Peoria, Ariz.
“We feel good with what he did,” pitching coach Price said.
The plan was for Pineiro to make one more start Saturday for the Class AAA Tacoma Rainiers at Fresno, although Price said that won’t be determined until today.
“We want to talk with Joel and see how he feels,” Price said. “But I would expect him to get one more game in Fresno.”
If that goes well, Pineiro would join the Mariners next weekend in Chicago and be available to pitch against the White Sox on April 15.
Steroid reaction: Manager Mike Hargrove echoed general manager Bill Bavasi’s feelings from a day earlier after eight M’s minor leaguers tested positive for steroids, saying there’s no place for it in baseball.
“I’m disappointed and angry,” Hargrove said. “It’s something that needs to be cleaned up and we’re going about trying to get it done.”
Mister 1,000: Hargrove went into Tuesday’s game needing three victories to reach 1,000 in his managerial career. What would it mean?
“It just means I’m getting older,” he said. “I think Connie Mack’s safe.”
Mack is the all-time leader with 3,731. Tony LaRussa of the Cardinals leads active managers with 2,114.
“There are certain things in your career, certain milestones, that make a difference to you,” Hargrove said. “The 1000-win mark is a good milestone. I didn’t get into managing to be on that list, but I’m appreciative that I’ve been around some good teams and some good players to have a chance to do that.”
No more doubts: Hargrove said closer Eddie Guardado answered a lot of questions with his 13-pitch ninth inning in Monday’s opener, when he retired all three Twins hitters.
Guardado had not faced major league hitters throughout spring training because of a strained right hamstring.
“It was important for Eddie and it was important for the rest of us to see him in that situation in a big-league game.” Hargrove said. “You can say he’s ready until you’re blue in the face, but until he actually goes out and proves that he’s ready, there’s still a little doubt. I think Eddie erased all that doubt in his mind and ours both.”
Of note: Former Mariner Edgar Martinez, who threw out the ceremonial first pitch at Monday’s opener, will be in Olympia today to meet with the governor and be honored by the Legislature. … The Twins are one of just three American League teams who the Mariners have a winning record against. The other teams are the Devil Rays and Rangers. … The University of Washington men’s basketball team will be honored before today’s game. Tre Simmons will throw out the ceremonial first pitch.
Kirby Arnold, Herald Writer
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