SEATTLE — Kanekoa Texeira had a simple question after the Seattle Mariners’ home opener on Monday at Safeco Field.
“How do I get to the place where the families are waiting?” Texeira, a rookie reliever, asked pitcher Ryan Rowland-Smith.
“Right through the kitchen, and then turn right,” Rowland-Smith answered.
“Through the kitchen?” Texeira asked again.
“Yeah, walk through and there’s a door on the right. They’ll be out there,” Rowland-Smith said.
As Texeira thanked him and walked away, Rowland-Smith shook his head and added, with a wry smile, “Rookies.”
It has been a delightfully mind-numbing week and a half for Texeira, a 24-year-old from Maui.
He had never experienced anything higher than the Class AA level in his four pro seasons, never gone to a big-league spring training camp until this year, never truly envisioned what he’s now experiencing with the Mariners.
There’s actually a kitchen in the clubhouse, and a whole lot more.
“You’ve got a big locker room, you’ve got TVs, you’ve got these nice chairs, it’s not messy in here, everybody’s friendly,” Texeira said. “You’ve got everything. It’s exciting to be here.”
In return, the Mariners have a young pitcher who proved at spring training he can get big-league hitters out and give them multiple innings in relief.
The Mariners selected Texeira in December from the Yankees in the Rule 5 draft, and he became the team’s most pleasant surprise at spring training with a 2.40 earned run average in 11 appearances.
“One of my major goals was to try and stick around until the last day of spring training,” he said. “When they told me I’d made it, I couldn’t talk. I finally got to be a big-league pitcher.”
Texeira wasn’t completely oblivious to big-league life. His cousin is Phillies outfielder Shane Victorino, who’s more like a brother and has helped prepare him for this step.
“I live with him for about two months in the offseason, and he gives me insight,” Texeira said. “I work out with him, I throw to him, he watches my bullpens and stands in (the batter’s box) for me. He helps me a lot. We talk every day. Now that I’m in the big leagues, I understand the busy life he has.”
Nothing could prepare Texeira for everything that has invaded his senses and emotions since the regular season began.
His first major league appearance, April 6 at Oakland, was hardly the soft landing that rookies often get. Manager Don Wakamatsu brought him into a tie game in the ninth inning and he eventually allowed the game-winning run two outs into the 10th. Among those in the crowd at Oakland were his mother and father, Nadine and Lance.
He pitched two innings on Sunday at Texas, allowing three hits and a run, and in three appearances so far has a 7.71 ERA.
“I’m not pitching as well as I’d like to, but I still keep my head up and have fun,” he said.
Some rookies already would be freaking out at such a start, but Texeira seems as laid-back now as he was after he’d made the team. He credits his grandfather, Frank Santos, with helping him take a day-at-a-time approach to life.
“My grandfather always taught me to live today because tomorrow may never come,” he said. “My great grandmother, one day she was there and the next day she was gone. That’s why I’m so laid-back and enjoy every part of every day that I can.”
There have been other challenges to Texeira’s emotions besides those first three appearances.
His first day at Safeco Field seemed surreal.
“I haven’t seen so many people watch a game in my life,” he said. “Opening day in Seattle was unbelievable. I never thought I’d run through center field on a red carpet.”
Then there’s the reserved, quiet side of Texeira’s personality. How can a guy like that possibly mix with the goofiness that prevails among the Mariners’ relievers?
Texeira wasn’t surprised to be assigned responsibility of the pink girls’ backpack filled with seeds, gum and other items. That’s what a rookie does. But he had no idea what kind of group he was joining in the bullpen.
These are guys who rally around Spartan warrior helmets and, before the first three home games this season, walked backwards across the field to the bullpen.
“I knew I was going to be a rookie and have to do some things, but these guys are a whole different thing,” he said.
Reliever Shawn Kelley, a rookie last year, says Texeira has fit in well.
“He’s right there for us with the pink backpack,” Kelley said. “He’s handling it really well.”
Kelley also believes Texeira has just enough goofiness in him to be a perfect fit for the personality of the pen.
“I think we’ve seen a little bit of a goofy side from him,” Kelley said. “So far it’s been small, but it’s in there. If anybody can get it out, we can.”
Read Kirby Arnold’s blog on the Mariners at www.heraldnet.com/marinersblog
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