Ah, Mariners vs. Cubs. Lou Piniella in the visiting dugout, easily the biggest weekday crowd of the month on a 90-plus-degree afternoon and what do they get?
Mostly a lineup of Triple-A Mariners and Cubs you wouldn’t recognize outside right fielder Reed Johnson. OK, there is Cubs starter Aaron Heilman, the former Mariner who had about a month to build relationships before they traded him away in January. Most of the big boys — including Ken Griffey Jr. in left field — will be playing tonight against the Padres.
This afternoon’s marquee man is Ronny Cedeno, who has made quite an impression so far in spring training. He has hit (.325 average entering today’s game) and played well at both shortstop and second base (especially showing range at second that Jose Lopez just doesn’t have). He also has done enough little things to endear himself with manager Don Wakamatsu — bunt, hit behind runners, work ball-strike counts and show a willingness to play the small-ball game.
But it’s not like Cedeno has a glowing reputation when it comes to playing patient, smart baseball. In 2006 with the Cubs, he had the worst walk percentage in the National League, and he’s never been considered the sharpest baserunner (he once was tagged out at second base after the hitter behind him walked).
Nevertheless, Cedeno is a player the Mariners seem thrilled to have not only in a backup role, but also as motivation to shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt and second baseman Jose Lopez. The one thing Wakamatsu and his staff want to avoid this spring is a feeling among the starters that they’ve already got their jobs won, that they can just go through the motions for six weeks and be able to crank it up when the season starts April 6. That’s why it was so interesting to hear Wakamatsu praise Cedeno last night for his bunt base hit against the Rangers while being critical of Betancourt’s inability to work the count and show the qualities of a true No. 2 hitter despite a home run and a triple.
I would be shocked to see Cedeno starting in place of either Betancourt or Lopez on opening day. They’d have to screw up big-time for that to happen. The Mariners see Cedeno as a quality backup who’ll give them late-inning security on defense, especially if they want to play him at second and slide Lopez to first base.
If they can use him to light a fire under a certain shortstop who often needs it, so much the better.
A few notes from today:
-The Mariners optioned outfielder Greg Halman to Class AA West Tennessee this morning. He played in only four games, having missed much of the exhibition season to play with the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic.
-Starting pitcher Brandon Morrow and reliever Tyler Johnson are scheduled to pitch in a simulated game Friday, Wakamatsu said. Morrow won’t throw more than 30 pitches.
-Reliever Tyler Walker (back spasms) probably will pitch in games by the weekend.
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