Mariners vs. Texas Rangers at Peoria Stadium, 1:05 p.m.
Radio: KOMO (1000 AM)
Pitchers: Seattle right-hander Gil Meche will pitch the first three innings, followed by left-handers Ron Villone and George Sherrill, and right-handers Clint Nageotte and Aaron Looper.
M’s starter Ryan Franklin pitched two scoreless innings in his first Cactus League outing of the spring. “He was outstanding,” Melvin said.
Franklin faced eight batters, giving up two hits and striking out two.
Shigetoshi Hasegawa retired all three batters he faced in the ninth, giving him two perfect innings this spring.
The trainer decided to hold him out another day.
Manager Bob Melvin on the ease with which second baseman Bret Boone is acclimating to his new shortstop, Rich Aurilia.
“That’s probably his third (best) pitch,” Melvin said. “The guy behind the plate’s got to lead him some, too.”
Ben Davis was catching at the time and was made aware of the fact that he’s got to take charge.
Thornton had a deadly fastball that the Angels’ Troy Glaus told M’s third-base coach Dave Myers “looked like he was throwing 100 mph.”
“He’s got to put the two homers away and understand that he overmatched some guys with his fastball,” Melvin said. “A lot of these guys were behind his fastball and probably in counts when they’re looking to hit his fastball, so he has to feel good about that.”
Melvin was also disturbed that Thornton issued a walk on a 3-2 slider with two out and nobody on in the fourth. “It’s one thing if it’s one of our guys who’s going to be out there (when the season starts) trying to work on something, but also he’s got to be led by the guy behind the plate in that situation and that’s not the right pitch there.”
Larry Henry, Herald Writer
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