Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu made it clear this morning that struggling pitcher Carlos Silva needs to get his act — or, more precisely, his head — together or he could lose his place in the starting rotation.
Wakamatsu said Silva, who turned back the clock to 2008 when he gave up six runs in the third inning Friday, will make his next start but the Mariners won’t tolerate another poor outing. Silva is scheduled to start Wednesday at Kansas City.
“Everybody is thinking about what we should do with Carlos,” Wakamatsu said. “The best thing for Carlos and for the team is for him to pitch well. At some point, he’s going to have to make some adjustments. Is that rope shorter? Yeah. He’s got to come out and give us a goood outing.”
If anything, Wakamatsu and his coaches have exercised extreme patience with their players. He has kept Yuniesky Betancourt in the lineup despite the shortstop’s fairly regular brain fades in the field, at the plate and on the bases. He has resisted the urge to pinch hit for his regulars in the late innings. He has shown confidence in his players because he knows that helps build confidence in their own minds, which is especially important early in the season.
“Ask Dontrelle Willis. The mental side of this game can be so devastating,” Wakamatsu said. He told Silva: “It’s up to you. Is your confidence level going to match your stuff?”
“We’re 3-2 in his starts. If we were 0-5 in his starts, we would have to make adjustments. I think he’s trying to find where he was before. I know he cares a lot. Sometimes that can be counter-productive in a person. He cares a lot about helping the ballclub. We’ll see how he goes out and pitches in his next outing.”
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