Since spring training, Rafael Soriano hadn’t been able to throw a fastball 94 mph, and now he can’t throw one at all.
Set back in spring training by a strained oblique muscle in his side, then sent to the minor leagues to regain his arm strength, the Mariners hard-throwing reliever was placed on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday with a strained ligament in his elbow.
“We’re going to shut him down for a few weeks and get this thing right,” manager Bob Melvin said.
With the move, the Mariners decided to go with an 11-man pitching staff, replacing Soriano on the roster with Tacoma infielder Ramon Santiago.
“The way our roster is, I’m more likely to make a move with an infielder and need someone than with an outfielder,” Melvin said. “If I pinch-hit Dave Hansen or Jolbert Cabrera late, I’ve still got a middle infielder if I need one.”
If Soriano stays on schedule and doesn’t throw for the next two weeks, he’ll likely miss at least a month of the season. In his absence, right-handers Julio Mateo and rookie J.J. Putz may work more innings.
Santiago was batting .180 with the Rainiers when the Mariners called him up. What’s his role in Seattle? Melvin said he’d use Santiago as a defensive replacement late in games or as a pinch-runner.
Future dealings: General manager Bill Bavasi said the Mariners are probably a few weeks to a month away from determining whether they’re a team looking for talent to get back into the race – or a team willing to trade talent for prospects.
“Can I imagine the latter? Emotionally, no,” Bavasi said, “but every GM has got to be prepared for it.
“Right now, teams are offering prospects for talent to get better now, so it’s a tough market to get talent in. You don’t see many trades for impact players before June or July.”
Bavasi said he’s watching the team aware that there are two distinct possibilities.
“You’re hoping the guys you’ve got get better, play to their ability – the ability you saw when you put the team together,” Bavasi said. “And you’re making calls, looking for new gets to make you better. We look at the players on this team and think there’s more in the tank than they’ve shown. But we’re looking, too.
“No matter how much you believe in your players, as a GM you can’t say, ‘I’m not taking any telephone calls.’ “
Getting a feel for the fake grass: Playing for the first time on the Metrodome’s new grass-like Astro-turf, the Mariners took pre-game infield for the first time since spring training.
“It’s a totally different surface,” coach Rene Lachemann said. “Balls that used to shoot up the alley here now don’t scoot so quickly. It’s a slower turf, and it’s going to be an adjustment.”
Larry LaRue,
The News Tribune
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