Next series
Opponent: Baltimore Orioles
When: 4:05 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 10:35 a.m. Sunday, 12:05 p.m. Monday.
Where: Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
TV: Fox Sports Net all four games
Radio: KOMO (1000 AM) all four games
Pitchers: Friday — Seattle left-hander Jarrod Washburn (10-15, 4.32 earned run average in 2007) vs. left-hander Adam Loewen (2-0, 3.56). Saturday — Right-hander Miguel Batista (16-11, 4.29) vs. right-hander Jeremy Guthrie (0-1, 8.44 this year). Sunday _ Left-hander Erik Bedard (0-0, 1.80 this year) vs. left-hander Brian Burres (0-0, 0.00). Monday — Right-hander Felix Hernandez (0-0, 0.00) vs. right-hander Daniel Cabrera (0-0, 13.50).
Quick callup: Roy Corcoran was in his hotel room in Tacoma on Wednesday morning when he got a phone call with news he never expected to hear this early in the season.
Mariners closer J.J. Putz was hurt and the team needed Corcoran to report to Safeco Field for Wednesday night’s game.
“It was out of the blue,” said Corcoran, who was preparing for tonight’s season opener with the Class AAA Tacoma Rainiers.
Corcoran, a 27-year-old right-hander, had signed a minor league contract with the Mariners in November but pitched well at spring training and stayed in the major league camp until the final day.
Elated at being called up, Corcoran was a little numbed by the circumstances.
“You hate for something good to happen because of a bad reason,” said the Louisiana native in his Southern twang.
He’ll help provide bullpen depth, probably in a middle relief role.
“Regardless of when it is they want me to pitch, I’ll be ready from the first inning to the ninth.”
Corcoran has 16 games of major league experience with the Expos/Nationals. He was in the Marlins’ minor league system last year before becoming a free agent and signing with the Mariners.
“I was impressed with him in spring training,” manager John McLaren said. “He threw strikes. He reminded me of Todd Jones in the way he threw breaking balls behind in the count. He had a rubber arm and could pitch every day, and he had ice in his veins. I was impressed with the guy and we’re going to give him an opportunity.”
No tinkering: Richie Sexson struggled in the cleanup spot and so has Brad Wilkerson batting sixth. Conversely, Yuniesky Betancourt was the Mariners’ best hitter after two games, batting .625 in the No. 9 spot.
Any changes in order? Not yet, McLaren said.
“After two games, we’re not going to get excited just because things haven’t worked out for some guys,” he said. “We want to let some guys get their feet on the ground. We’re showing some confidence in people.”
McLaren said Betancourt seems relaxed in the ninth spot and he doesn’t want to mess with that.
“He’s so comfortable there, I’m reluctant to move him,” McLaren said. “We’re going to stick with what we’ve got.”
Kirby Arnold, Herald Writer
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