It was an uneasy scene in the Mariners’ clubhouse a few minutes ago. While most of the team was on the practice field cracking jokes and preparing for the morning workout, two first-base hopefuls stayed behind.
Bryan LaHair and Mike Carp cleaned out their lockers and got ready to make the move into the Mariners’ minor league clubhouse. It’s in the same building in their training facility here, but it might as well be a million miles away.
The Mariners optioned LaHair and Carp this morning to Class AAA Tacoma, along with right-handed pitcher Gaby Hernandez.
LaHair and Carp came to camp with high expectations for themselves, but are taking it like the pros they are. They both understand that, being first basemen, the opportunities are limited here with the Mariners giving Russell Branyan every opportunity to build a consistent swing and better himself in the field at first base.
For LaHair, it’s got to really hurt. This is a kid who badly wanted to prove that he’s the power-hitting left-hander the organization believed he would become. He badly wanted to prove that last September, when he hit three home runs in 45 games with the Mariners, wasn’t a real representation of what he can do.
Then he batted .179 in 28 exhibition at-bats and hit one homer. This morning, he made that uneasy walk into manager Don Wakamatsu’s office and was told he’s going down.
All kinds of thoughts go through a player’s head on a day like this, and LaHair’s mind was racing. He said he thought about his family. He said he thought about his future.
“I will be back,” he said. “I will be back in the big leagues. It’s just a matter of when and where.”
Where? Yes, LaHair is realistic enough to know that maybe better opportunities will happen in another organization. This is his seventh year with a Mariners organization that is turning a lot of pages from its past. Maybe that’s why his eyes looked a little teary this morning as he sorted through his belongings in the empty big-league clubhouse.
“I want it to be with Seattle,” he said. “I’m still part of the Mariners family. This is where I want to be.”
Other notes from this morning:
-Brandon Morrow is scheduled to pitch a simulated game at 11:30 this morning.
-Tyler Johnson won’t join Morrow in the simulated game as planned, although manager Don Wakamatsu said there’s no setback with Johnson’s shoulder. He’ll probably throw a simulated inning Saturday.
-Roy Corcoran, who hasn’t pitched in a game since March 12 because of biceps tendinitis, is scheduled to pitch Saturday against the A’s.
– Tyler Walker, down this week because of back spasms, will throw in the bullpen this morning.
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