Mariners Update

  • Monday, June 3, 2002 9:00pm
  • Sports

Opponent: Oakland A’s

When: 7:05 p.m.

Where: Network Associates Coliseum, Oakland, Calif.

TV: KIRO (Ch. 7)

Radio: KIRO (710 AM)

Probable starters: Seattle right-hander Rafael Soriano (0-1, 2.81 earned run average) vs. right-hander Tim Hudson (3-6, 4.37).

Two weeks ago, he was playing in Class AA, batting .326 and trying to explain to San Antonio teammates why a lad born in Miami had an Australian accent.

On Monday, Chris Snelling found himself on a major league bench, getting the first of a few days off after batting .148 in his first 27 big-league at bats.

He has played left field, center field and right field in his seven games, and at age 20 that suits him fine.

“I’m stoked just being here,” Snelling said. “They can put me anywhere they want.”

For the moment, that’s the bench.

“He hasn’t done one thing that makes me thing he can’t play at this level,” manager Lou Piniella said. “But you take any young man who’s had success in the minors, watch him struggle a little bit in the big leagues, and the best thing you can do is give him a few days off.

“When you’re a hitter who’s always hit, struggling can leave a question in your mind. He’ll be fine.”

Pitchers are pounding Snelling with inside fastballs – a pitch he usually has success with – and throwing him off-speed stuff away.

“He’s not overmatched, he may not be as patient as he could be,” hitting coach Gerald Perry said. “He’s making good contact, he just needs a few balls to fall in and be a bit more patient.”

Snelling hasn’t had the best of luck, so far. Against Baltimore, for instance, he lined a shot up the middle on a hit-and-run play and the ball caromed off the side of the mound directly to the shortstop, who turned it into a quick double play.

“There are things I can’t control, and one of them is where the ball goes,” Snelling said. “I can make an adjustment on inside pitches. I can choke up on the bat a bit, move back in the box a bit, but I’m making pretty good contact. I’m just not getting many hits.”

Snelling spent the first eight years of his life in Florida before going to Australia with his family. His parents still live Down Under and both work, so planning a visit to see their son in the majors isn’t easy.

“It’s not the kind of trip they can put together in a week,” Snelling said. “It’s expensive, it’s not a short trip, and mumsy didn’t have her passport.”

Checking the stat sheet: Pitching coach Bryan Price checks the statistics on every team before every series, looking first at two categories – bases on balls and stolen bases.

“It’s good to know which guys on the other team don’t walk much, because you can pitch them a little differently,” Price said. “And you want to know who runs the most, who you have to worry about it they do get on base.”

Medical report: Rafael Soriano, who makes his third big-league start tonight, is finally over the virus and sore throat that made him so miserable last week.

Shortstop Carlos Guillen’s sprained left ring finger has improved considerably – he can now bend it around a baseball – and the team is optimistic he could return to the lineup Wednesday. If so, he’d only miss four games after being hit by a pitch in Baltimore.

Edgar Martinez is running again, testing the surgically repaired left leg that’s had him on the disabled list nearly two months. He ran 10 sprints on the field Monday, then ran in the stands up and down the stairways.

“He’s like a colt that’s been in the pen too long,” trainer Rick Griffin said. “I teased today that he was looking light on his feet. We’ll increase the work the next few days and get him ready to run the bases by the time we get home (Friday).”

Familiar face: Former Mariner John Mabry was all smiles at a quick reunion with Seattle players during batting practice.

“I’m with my sixth team, not counting St. Louis twice,” Mabry said. “Six teams in eight years. I guess I keep fooling enough people.”

In four games with Oakland since coming in the Jeremy Giambi trade with Philadelphia last week, Mabry is batting .250.

Larry LaRue

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