The lineup a lot of people would prefer

If yesterday’s lineup is what the Mariners may use most of the season, today’s lineup is what a lot of people say they’d rather see. Ken Griffey Jr. is the DH, Endy Chavez is in left field and Chris Shelton is playing first base.

There’s strong sentiment to have Shelton make this team and be the right-handed-hitting part of a first-base platoon with Russell Branyan. That won’t happen at least until Branyan gets enough at-bats to prove he can’t hit lefties. And Shelton, being a non-roster player, isn’t likely to be the first option the Mariners look at in a platoon at first. Mike Sweeney would get at-bats there, as would Jose Lopez.

Chavez in left completes an outfield that’s got to be the fastest in franchise history, along with Franklin Gutierrez in center field and Ichiro Suzuki in right. Even though Griffey has shown in recent days that he can play a decent left field, Chavez’s speed is a nice thing to have in the spacious outfield at Safeco Field.

Here’s the lineup for today’s game agaisnt the Rockies. The Mariners just made a late change, replacing Jose Lopez at second base with Ronny Cedeno. We’ll see what that’s about when we talk with manager Don Wakamatsu within the hour:

Ichiro Suzuki, right field

Ronny Cedeno, second base

Ken Griffey Jr., DH

Adrian Beltre, third base

Chris Shelton, first base

Kenji Johjima, catcher

Franklin Gutierrez, center field

Yuniesky Betancourt, shortstop

Endy Chavez, left field

Erik Bedard, starting pitcher