By Kirby Arnold
Herald Writer
CLEVELAND – The plan, Aaron Sele says, is to keep it simple.
“Throw strikes, keep the ball down and let the defense work,” said Sele, the Seattle Mariners’ starting pitcher today in Game 3 of the American League Division Series at Jacobs Field.
Sele finished the regular season 15-5, giving him five straight years with double-digit victories, but he ended an upbeat September with a flat final outing in October.
In the game that could have given the Mariners the major league single-season victory record, Sele lost 4-3 to the Texas Rangers on Oct. 7. That followed two of his better post-All-Star-break outings, a 13-2 victory over Texas on Sept. 25 when he allowed six hits in seven innings and a 6-2 whipping of Oakland on Sept. 30 when he pitched a three-hitter through seven.
After going 10-1 before the All-Star break, Sele’s record was 5-4 afterward.
“His last start was so-so, but prior to that I thought he pitched exceedingly well,” manager Lou Piniella said. “Good crisp fastball to both sides of the plate, used his changeup to keep hitters honest and at the same time had a really good curveball.”
Meaning?
“I expect Aaron to go out there and pitch well for us,” Piniella said. “He competes very well and he’s got the experience.”
Sele also has the steely nerves of a veteran, a good quality in such a vital game at a hostile stadium. He also has four postseason outings to draw from, although he is 0-3 in those games.
“I think it (postseason experience) helps,” Sele said. “For situations like this, the fans, the excitement in the ballpark and all of the extra activities, I think it’s important.
“Once the first pitch is thrown, then it’s game time and I think 162 games give you plenty of experience for your postseason. It’s the extracurricular activities away from the game that get out of hand.”
That is why Piniella likes having a veteran on the mound.
“I’ve said that in a five-game series, there’s very little margin for error,” he said. “(Today’s) game is very pivotal for both sides. Whoever wins this ballgame certainly has a distinct advantage. Hopefully we’ll get a good game from Sele and score some runs and get the upper hand in this series.”
The Mariners hadn’t decided Friday who would start Game 4 on Sunday, and they probably won’t until after today’s game.
Freddy Garcia, who lost Game 1 on Tuesday, will be fully rested by Sunday.
But the Mariners also have right-hander Paul Abbott ready and willing to start. Abbott is 5-0 lifetime against the Indians, including one victory this season when he allowed six runs in seven innings of an 8-6 triumph at Cleveland on Aug. 6.
Abbott said Friday that nobody has told him whether he will or won’t start in this series. He spent the first two games in the bullpen and will be there again today, mentally ready to pitch but hoping he won’t be needed.
“When I’m in the bullpen, I don’t want to pitch,” Abbott said. “Because if I’m in the game pitching (in long relief), it means things aren’t going right for us.”
For the past week, he has gone about his work as though he will start one of these games, keeping his mind as mentally prepared as his body.
“I’ve got to be ready,” he said. “I watch film and stay mentally fresh. All I can do is visualize and keep myself ready.”
As expected, Jay Buhner will start in left field today against left-handed C.C. Sabathia, Piniella said.
The lineup, and batting order, probably will consist of Ichiro Suzuki in right field, Mike Cameron in center, Bret Boone at second, Edgar Martinez at DH, Buhner in left, John Olerud at first, Dan Wilson catching, David Bell at third and Mark McLemore at shortstop.
Here is how Sabathia views the Seattle lineup that he’ll face today:
“I’ve been trying to figure out Bret Boone. He takes fastballs on the outside corner and takes them to right field. Mike Cameron looked good yesterday and Edgar’s always been a great hitter. They’ve got a lot of weapons.”
Including Suzuki, who is a complete set of problems in one package, Sabathia admits.
“It’s definitely going to be hard to get him out,” he said. “When he gets on base, I’ve been working on my slide step to shorten my move to the plate to give Einar (Diaz, Cleveland’s catcher) a chance to throw him out. He’s a great hitter and it’ll be tough to keep him off the bases.”
Amid discussing Mike Cameron’s potential from the second spot in the batting order, where he will be today, Piniella left reporters guessing how the lineup will look on Sunday.
The Mariners were blown away by Bartolo Colon in Game 1, and he’ll pitch for the Indians Sunday.
“What you guys are going to have fun with is Sunday’s game when we bring our lineup out,” Piniella said. “I’ll have a lot of questions to answer then.”
If Piniella wants to load his lineup with left-handed hitters against Colon, he has outfielder Al Martin, catcher Tom Lampkin and switch-hitter Stan Javier available. In addition, utility infielder Ed Sprague is 3-for-10 lifetime against Colon.
By the numbers, Mike Cameron is the Mariner you least expected to turn around Game 2 with a home run off Chuck Finley.
He entered Thursday’s game just 1-for-17 lifetime against Finley, but had rarely faced the left-hander the past two years. In his first at-bat, Cameron ripped a two-run homer that provided all the run support the Mariners needed in a 5-1 victory.
It shows why going by the numbers isn’t always the best way to judge a hitter, Cameron warns.
“I was young,” Cameron said of most of those at-bats against Finley. “Very very young, filling in for the big guys when I was with the White Sox early in my career. I don’t think I faced him too much this year.”
And besides, Cameron added, numbers don’t show the line drives that turn into outs (although he didn’t mention his six career strikeouts against Finley).
“You might have some good at-bats against him and you don’t have anything to show for it,” Cameron said. “As a major league baseball player, the one thing you always have is a chance.”
Since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, reporters who entered Safeco Field have had their bags searched upon entering the stadium.
The security measures are much greater this weekend at Jacobs Field, where every pocket of every bag was carefully examined by security guards, and reporters weren’t allowed into the stadium or the clubhouse areas without showing a photo ID along with their credentials.
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