Opponent: Detroit Tigers
When: 7:05 p.m.
Where: Safeco Field
TV: KSTW (Ch. 11)
Radio: KOMO (1000 AM)
Pitchers: Seattle right-hander Miguel Batista (8-7, 4.54 earned run average) vs. left-hander Kenny Rogers (3-0, 1.04).
Mincing words
Days before Ichiro Suzuki’s new contract with the Mariners became official, word of the deal sent a shock wave across the country that struck at least one nerve in the Florida Marlins front office.
Reacting to early reports that Suzuki would make $100 million over five years (the contract actually is worth $90 million for five years), Marlins president David Samson ripped the Mariners on a Florida radio interview.
“It’s a joke, it’s inexcusable, it’s complete mismanagement,” Samson said. “It can’t be true. It’ll take the sport down, that contract.”
Asked his reaction to Samson’s comment, Mariners general manager Bill Bavasi took a tactful approach Friday. Sort of.
“My mother always taught me that if you can’t say something nice – like ‘(expletive) Dave Samson’ – then don’t say anything at all,” Bavasi said. “Is my mom great or what?”
Veteran Ohka signs: The Mariners signed right-handed pitcher Tomo Ohka as a minor-league free agent and assigned him to the Class AAA Tacoma Rainiers.
Ohka, 31, has pitched eight major league seasons with the Red Sox, Expos, Brewers and Blue Jays. He went 2-5 with a 5.79 ERA in 10 starts this year with the Blue Jays, who released him on June 18.
Lowe to West Tennessee: Relief pitcher Mark Lowe’s recovery from major elbow surgery will continue this weekend with the first of three rehab outings for the Class AA West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx.
Lowe, who has made three rehab outings with the Tacoma Rainiers and one with the Everett AquaSox, will pitch an inning Sunday for West Tennessee. He’ll also pitch in games July 19 and 21 for the Diamond Jaxx.
The move will reunite him with Diamond Jaxx pitching coach Brian Holman, the former Mariners pitcher who was Lowe’s pitching coach in 2005 at Class A Wisconsin.
“It will be good to work with him again,” Lowe said. “He probably knows my mechanics better than anyone.”
During Lowe’s latest outing, a perfect inning Thursday for Tacoma, he hit 94 mph with his fastball.
Ramirez scheduled to pitch Monday: Pitcher Horacio Ramirez, on the disabled list since May 25 because of shoulder tendinitis, probably will start Monday night’s game against the Orioles.
Ramirez threw in the bullpen Friday and, if he’s still feeling good today, will come off the DL on Monday, manager John McLaren said.
McLaren wouldn’t say who the Mariners would move off the roster to make room for Ramirez, although the likely candidate is left-handed pitcher Ryan Feierabend.
Of note: The Mariners played a video tribute to Suzuki before Friday night’s game, stirring the crowd into a standing ovation. Suzuki acknowledged it by stepping out of the dugout, removing his cap and bowing. … Right-handed pitcher Jon Huber, out since June 9 because of a strained forearm, felt the arm tighten up during a rehab outing with Tacoma on Thursday. “I don’t think it’s serious, but he had a little setback,” McLaren said. … As of Friday evening, about 13,000 tickets remained for tonight’s game and 12,000 for Sunday’s.
Kirby Arnold, Herald Writer
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