When: 7:05 p.m.
Where: Safeco Field, Seattle
TV: FSN
Radio: KOMO (1000 AM)
Johnny Mo returns
More than a year after putting his baseball life on hold for all the right reasons, John Moses was back in a Mariners uniform Tuesday.
The former M’s outfielder and first-base coach began work as a left-handed batting practice pitcher. He’ll be with the team during workouts before home games and also travel with the M’s throughout the season.
A year ago at this time, Moses was at home in Issaquah spending much-needed family time. He had been with the Cincinnati Reds during the 2005 season and was supposed to be their first-base coach under manager Jerry Narron last year.
The day before spring training began, he gave up that job.
“There were some health issues in the family that were a concern to me and it just made sense to me to stay at home,” Moses said. “I had a son who was going to go off to college in a year, and my youngest son was 15.”
At age 48, after being in the major leagues since 1982 as either a player or coach, Moses left the game.
“I was about halfway to the airport the day before spring training, but something told me not to go,” he said. “To make that call to Jerry to tell him I wasn’t going to be on his coaching staff anymore was difficult.
“I’d had enough. It wasn’t that I’d had my fill of baseball. I’d had my fill of being away from home and not really getting a chance to see the family for nine months. That was the toughest decision I ever had to make baseball-wise. It was the right decision.”
See, hear no evil words: Manager Mike Hargrove said he wasn’t bothered by the criticism of pitcher Jeff Weaver after his dismal first outing last week in Boston. That’s because Hargrove said he hadn’t heard anything about it.
“I enjoy reading the papers in the offseason,” Hargrove said. “But during the season, reading the papers and listing to the radio are counter-productive. The backlash, this is the first I’ve heard of it.”
He then cautioned the media and fans to avoid drawing conclusions this early in the season.
“Baseball’s not an immediate sport and things have to play out,” Hargrove said.
Keep on running: Hargrove wouldn’t say whether Ichiro Suzuki, who has stolen 40 straight bases going back to last season, steals on his own or gets his orders from the dugout.
“I’m not going to answer that because it tips our hand,” Hargrove said. “Ichiro is a good baserunner, but every part of his game is good. He’s smart about when to run and when not to run.”
Suzuki has been criticized for running only in the safest situations, and when asked about that Hargrove wouldn’t go there.
“I’d like to see him be 41-for-41, and then 42-for-42,” he said.
Of note: The American flag was lowered to half-staff and all other flags were removed from the stadium Tuesday in remembrance of the victims in Monday’s massacre at Virginia Tech University. There also was a moment of silence before the game. … The Stanwood High School choir sang the National Anthem. … Elliott Yamin, a third-place finisher on American Idol last year, threw out the ceremonial first pitch. … With rain coming and a cold wind blowing, the roof closed over Safeco Field in the top of the second inning.
Kirby Arnold, Herald Writer
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