Opponent: Oakland Athletics
When: 7:05 p.m. Friday, 7:15 p.m. Saturday and 1:35 p.m. Sunday
Where: Safeco Field, Seattle
TV: Fox Sports Net (cable), all three games
Radio: KIRO (710 AM), all three games
Probable starters: Friday – Seattle right-hander Freddy Garcia (17-6, 2.98 earned run average) vs. left-hander Mark Mulder (20-7, 3.49);
Saturday – Seattle left-hander Jamie Moyer (18-5, 3.25) vs. right-hander Erik Hiljus (4-0, 3.57)
Sunday – Seattle right-hander Aaron Sele (14-5, 3.64) vs. right-hander Tim Hudson (16-3, 3.38)
Bell keeps injury in perspective: It would be easy for injured David Bell to talk about how not playing baseball since Sept. 10 is frustrating him, but he won’t.
“With all that’s gone on in the world the last few weeks, I don’t think I have the right to feel sorry for myself, so I don’t,” Bell said. “I’m not a real patient guy with injuries, but I’ve been able to keep this in perspective this time. So many people are going through so much more.”
Sidelined by a strained rib cage muscle, Bell has undergone therapy and a cortisone injection. Still, the ache in his side has lingered for nearly two weeks now.
A third baseman who nearly earned an All-Star berth this year, Bell is batting .260 with 15 home runs and 64 RBI – solid numbers for a man known more for his defense than his offense.
Now, the only milestone he’s thinking about his getting back on the field.
“I’ve taken ground balls, I’ve thrown and I’ve run,” Bell said. “When I tried to swing the other day, I could feel it, and it felt like if I pushed it harder it might tear.”
Optimistically, Bell said he might take batting practice Friday, might try to talk his way back into the lineup.
Realistically, he knows better.
“The best estimate is probably next Tuesday, after our off day,” Bell admitted. “The priority is to be ready for the playoffs, and if I started playing Tuesday that would give me six games before the postseason began.
“I hate not playing, but it’s a little easier because we’ve clinched.”
Streaking again: Ichiro Suzuki is on another of his hitting streaks, this time a seven-game one that has given him hits in 128 of the 150 games in which he’s appeared. His season total of 231 hits is two less than Shoeless Joe Jackson’s 1911 record for rookies.
Just resting: In keeping with a long-standing policy, manager Lou Piniella kept veteran Edgar Martinez out of the lineup Wednesday, combining it with today’s scheduled off day to give him a two-day break. Piniella usually rests at least one veteran before a day off.
Lots of people watched the Rangers fail: Alex Rodriguez couldn’t get the Rangers out of last place this season, and Texas drew 2.8 million fans in Arlington – their highest season attendance in three years.
Stop, thief! A night after stealing five bases to tie the club single-game record, the Mariners stole five more Wednesday – three by Suzuki, who now has 53. Mark McLemore stole his 38th base, extending his own single-season best, and Mike Cameron stole his 34th. The Mariners now have 165 stolen bases, nine behind the club record set in 1987.
Climbing the RBI ladder: Bret Boone’s 135th RBI moved him past the 134 of Ken Griffey Jr. in 1999 and left him sixth on the franchise single-season list. Junior has the team record – 147 RBI in ‘97. With nine games remaining, Boone will try to match or pass the single-season totals of Jay Buhner (138), Junior (140), Edgar Martinez (145) and Junior again – with 146 and 147.
Larry LaRue
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