SEATTLE – Before Mike Hargrove makes out his first lineup card as the Seattle Mariners’ new manager, he’ll need some time at spring training to watch a few players he’s never seen before.
“Until I see their abilities, I’d hate to make any pronouncements on any lineups,” Hargrove said Thursday. “I know Bret Boone and I know Richie Sexson, I’ve seen Adrian Beltre play on TV. I know Randy Winn, I know Ichiro, I know Pokey Reese. But I haven’t seen Miguel Olivo play, I haven’t seen Jeremy Reed play.”
Hargrove has given some thought to the lineup and, less than three weeks until pitchers and catchers report, most of it seems clear to him.
Sexson will start at first base, Boone at second, Reese at shortstop, Beltre at third, Winn in left field, Reed in center, Ichiro Suzuki in right, Olivo at catcher and Raul Ibanez at designated hitter.
Hargrove said Reed will get every opportunity to win the center field job, but he will make that decision only after he watches the 23-year-old at spring training. Ibanez also will get plenty of time in the field, Hargrove said.
“I say Ibanez will be the DH, but we will use the DH spot to give guys semi-days off,” he said. “There will be times when Richie will play three days at first base and Ibanez three days at DH, and Ibanez will play one or two days at first base and Richie will DH.”
Bucky still hobbled: Bucky Jacobsen, who needs a strong spring training to make the team, may not get much of a chance. He’s still recovering from surgery to his right knee and may not play until late in the exhibition season.
“He had a pretty serious knee injury and had a surgery that’s going to take some time,” trainer Rick Griffin said. “He won’t be ready at the beginning of the games, but we’re hopeful we can get him into some games at the end of spring training. He had a pretty big defect in his knee that had to be repaired by a fairly radical procedure.”
Jacobsen, who hit nine home runs in 42 games before having surgery in mid-September, has played the past three seasons with cartilage damage. He injured it in the minor leagues when he ran into the end of a tarp while chasing a foul popup.
“The fact that he played on it for three years, to me, is amazing,” Griffin said.
Soriano progressing: Relief pitcher Rafael Soriano continues his comeback from “Tommy John” elbow surgery and could be pitching again by July 1, Griffin said. Soriano, who had surgery last July, has played catch three times at the team’s complex in Arizona and could be pitching off a mound before spring training ends.
“We’re very pleased with his progress,” Griffin said. “Once we get to spring training, he’ll begin a long-toss program and extend to the mound.”
Felix the phenom: The Mariners are eager to see 18-year-old pitcher Felix Hernandez, who will begin spring training in the major league camp.
Hernandez went a combined 14-4 at Class A Inland Empire and Class AA San Antonio last year, and the Mariners’ scouts say he already has the stuff to get big league hitters out. That won’t happen soon, though.
“I think most of us want to be a little protective right now,” general manager Bill Bavasi said. “He’s 18. Until they’re 21 or 22, you’ve got to be really careful. I’m a firm believer that you can do a lot of damage to young kids throwing a lot of innings.”
Bavasi said the Mariners will send Hernandez to the minor leagues, where they can better control the number of innings he pitches.
“Then if he could come up in the second half we could cut him loose and let him throw,” Bavasi said. “I’d say he’s close (to the majors). I have a hard time saying how close he is.”
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