PEORIA, Ariz. – Edgar Martinez batted four times Thursday, walked three times and took two swings.
Wasted day? Hardly.
The Seattle Mariners’ designated hitter says he can get almost as much out of a game like Thursday’s as he would one when he goes 4-for-4.
“The key is to see a lot of pitches,” Martinez said. “I took only two swings today but I saw a lot of pitches and that helps with my timing.”
At this point in spring training, timing is everything, especially in a game like Thursday’s when Kansas City Royals pitchers gave Martinez little to swing at. He walked his first two times up, hit a fly to left field and walked again.
“A game like this can still help,” he said. “I took only two swings but I saw a lot of pitches. I might get a little jumpy at one pitch, so I’d tell myself to stay back the next time.”
Martinez, batting .400 after just four spring training games, looks to get plenty of at-bats in the coming days.
He won’t play today against the Chicago Cubs but said he feels good enough to play the next five games when the designated hitter rule will be in use. He would play Saturday against Colorado, Sunday against Texas, Monday against Oakland and Tuesday against San Diego before the Mariners’ day off Wednesday, then Thursday against Milwaukee.
Martinez hasn’t played four days in a row since last season.
“There’s no reason for me not to do that,” he said. “I feel good and I don’t have anything wrong.”
Martinez also said the final week of spring training, when the DH will be used just once in the last five games, shouldn’t affect him. There is a chance he would stay in Peoria and get plenty of at-bats in minor league games when the Mariners play their final two exhibition games in San Diego on April 3 and 4.
“But if I’m feeling good then and I’m swinging the bat well, it’s no problem for me to go there and pinch-hit.” Martinez said. “I can do that and be ready for the season.”
Pitching a sad tune: Mike Myers knows he may arrive in the clubhouse today and find Garth Brooks CDs stuffed in his locker.
That’s the ribbing the veteran pitcher is prepared to take after allowing a ninth-inning infield hit to the singer, who is spending spring training with the Royals.
“I don’t have my full collection here at spring training, so if they want to put a bunch in my locker, that will be fine,” Myers said, smiling. “I’m sure Boonie won’t let me live it down.”
Myers and Brooks, interestingly, have a history.
Myers is on the council for Brooks’ “Touch ‘em All Foundation,” which raises money for children’s charities. The foundation is based in Denver, and Myers lives in nearby Littleton, Colo.
As for Brooks’ latest hit single, here’s how the improbable happened Thursday:
Myers pitched the ninth inning and got one out before Dee Brown hit a double that brought Brooks to the plate.
“I just wanted to throw strikes and have him hit the ball softly somewhere,” Myers said. “I’m not a guy who’s going to blow the ball by anybody.”
He didn’t. Brooks grounded the ball into the hole between shortstop and third base, where shortstop Adam Jones fielded it and made a low throw to first baseman Dave Hansen. The ball skipped past Hansen, allowing Brooks to reach safely and Brown to score.
Myers got a double-play grounder to end the game, then got an explanation from Brooks afterward.
“He just said, ‘I don’t know how I did that,’ “Myers said.
Jarvis struggles again: An impressive week by the pitching staff took a U-turn Thursday when right-hander Kevin Jarvis wobbled for the second straight time.
Jarvis, who came from the Padres in the Jeff Cirillo trade and will make $4.5 million in 2004, gave up six hits, two walks and five runs in three innings. Mike Sweeney hit a three-run homer in the second inning after Jarvis had gotten ahead in the count two strikes and no balls.
Mariners manager Bob Melvin said Jarvis tried to come up and in with a fastball against Sweeney but threw it down the middle.
“He needs his command and needs to throw all his pitches, and he didn’t have the best command of his fastball today,” Melvin said.
In his first outing last week against the Padres, Jarvis gave up seven hits and six runs in 1 2/3innings.
First to go: The Mariners didn’t wait for the first round of cuts to weed out one player who hasn’t been able to play since exhibition games began.
The club sent catcher Wiki Gonzalez, who has been sidelined with a multitude of ailments, to the minor league camp Thursday.
Gonzalez has suffered from a sore shoulder, elbow and calves, plus eye problems, that have kept Melvin from being able to use him.
“He’s going to go over there, get healthy and play in some games, and if they recommend it he might be back here later to play in some big-league games,” Melvin said.
More cuts are coming, possibly as soon as today.
Taylor improving: Aaron Taylor is throwing from about 130 feet as he builds strength in his right shoulder after rotator cuff surgery last September.
Taylor, considered a potential closer, shut down for a short time early in spring training because of stiffness in the shoulder but now seems to be making progress again.
“I wish they would put me on the mound, it feels that good,” Taylor said.
He had hoped to get into an exhibition game by the end of March but probably will see his first action in the minor league camp after spring training ends.
Taylor said his shoulder continues to feel stiff, but it’s nothing that worries him.
“They tell me it’s going to be pretty hard to tear anything (in the shoulder), and every time I throw now there are four trainers and the pitching coaches watching over me,” he said.
The starter is: Melvin said he probably would announce his opening-day starter on Sunday, which would have the news value of announcing the sun would come up.
Melvin has laid not-so-subtle hints for weeks that Jamie Moyer would start against the Angels on April 6. He said he probably wouldn’t make it official until he decides how the rotation of Moyer, Freddy Garcia, Joel Pineiro, Ryan Franklin and Gil Meche will be aligned.
“I’d like to be able to put those guys in order (and announce it) all at once,” Melvin said.
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