Reliever Rafael Soriano was named Monday as one of six finalists for American League Comeback Player of the Year.
Soriano, 1-1 with two saves and a 2.06 earned-run average in 43 appearances, sat out most of the past two seasons recovering from Tommy John surgery to reconstruct ligaments in his right elbow.
The 26-year-old, who has 58 strikeouts in 52-1/3 innings, said he has become a smarter pitcher because he's had almost two full seasons to study hitters and become more acclimated to the league.
"I talked to a lot of guys [after the surgery]," Soriano said. "They said, 'Do whatever you have to do, just be happy if you can come back, maybe the same, maybe better.' Right now, I feel better."
He also said the shoulder fatigue that hampered him most of July and landed him on the disabled list appears to be behind him.
The other AL finalists are Detroit's Magglio Ordonez, Baltimore's Corey Patterson, Boston's Curt Schilling, Oakland's Frank Thomas and Chicago's Jim Thome. Fans can vote on MLB.com through Sept. 30. The winner will be announced during the playoffs.
Pineiro still in
Joel Pineiro's recent struggles have prompted speculation that he might be replaced in the starting rotation. Twice since July 1, Pineiro has lasted just 2-2/3 innings.
Is Mariners manager Mike Hargrove considering a change? "As of right now, no," he said. "I don't anticipate doing anything."
The Mariners are the only team in baseball that has used just five starters this season. Every other club has used at least seven. Pineiro's next start is scheduled for Thursday against Texas.
Sharing center stage
Including last night, utility man Willie Bloomquist has started in center field three of the past five games.
"It's certainly not a move-Adam Jones-out-of-center-field move," Hargrove said of last night's lineup. Bloomquist needs playing time as well, Hargrove added.
Jones has struggled offensively since being called up in mid-July, batting just .204. He also committed his second error of the season on Sunday.
Jones is "gonna be a very, very good player at some point in time," Hargrove said. "Right now we're trying to develop him to that point."
Pentland on Ichiro
Ichiro, who entered Monday's game with just seven hits in his last 42 at-bats, has dropped 16 points off his batting average in the last 10 games. He is currently hitting .330.
Hitting coach Jeff Pentland said after studying tapes of Ichiro swinging, he sees the same player he saw in June, when Ichiro hit .386.
"Sometimes you get in a slump and you're doing everything right," Pentland said. "I told him his swing his good. The balls he's hit hard, they've just caught some of them. ... They're just not falling right now."
Pentland cautioned against taking Ichiro's career pace for granted. Ichiro has a .332 lifetime batting average in six seasons with Seattle.
"I don't worry about him. He knows what he's doing," Pentland said. "He's been around a long time. He knows not to change anything when it's not broken."
Notes
• Richie Sexson was seen limping after sliding into home plate in the first inning of Sunday's loss to Oakland. He pronounced himself fine before Monday's game and hit in his customary fifth spot in the lineup.
• Former Mariner Carl Everett cleared waivers Monday, officially making him a free agent. The club designated Everett for assignment on July 26 and put him on waivers Thursday.
How the runs scored
Devil Rays first: Hollins struck out. Crawford tripled to right. Cantu singled to right, Crawford scored. Lee walked on a full count, Cantu to second. Norton struck out. Cantu stole third. Navarro flied out to right fielder Ichiro. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 left on. Devil Rays 1, M's 0.
Mariners first: Ichiro grounded out, third baseman Upton to first baseman Lee. Lopez doubled to right. Beltre homered to center on a 0-1 count, Lopez scored. Ibanez flied out to center fielder Hollins. Sexson struck out. 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 left on. M's 2, Devil Rays 1.
Devil Rays third: Hollins lined out to center fielder Bloomquist. Crawford flied out to left fielder Ibanez. Cantu walked. Lee singled to center, Cantu to second. Norton singled to left, Cantu scored, Lee to second. Navarro grounded out, pitcher Moyer to first baseman Sexson. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 left on. M's 2, Devil Rays 2.
Mariners third: Bloomquist singled to center. Ichiro flied out to right fielder Norton. Lopez doubled to center, Bloomquist to third. Beltre lined out to second baseman Cantu. Ibanez was intentionally walked. Sexson walked on a full count, Bloomquist scored, Lopez to third, Ibanez to second. Broussard grounded into fielder's choice, shortstop Zobrist to second baseman Cantu, Sexson out. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 3 left on. M's 3, Devil Rays 2.
Devil Rays fourth: Upton singled to left. Upton stole second. Gomes struck out. Zobrist doubled to left, Upton scored. Hollins grounded out, third baseman Beltre to first baseman Sexson. Crawford singled to right, Zobrist scored. Cantu flied out to right fielder Ichiro. 2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. Devil Rays 4, M's 3.
Mariners fifth: Ichiro grounded out, shortstop Zobrist to first baseman Lee. Lopez singled to center. Beltre flied out to left fielder Crawford. Ibanez homered to right on a 0-1 count, Lopez scored. Sexson struck out. 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 left on. M's 5, Devil Rays 4.
Mariners statistics
|
| BATTERS |
Avg |
AB |
R |
H |
2B |
3B |
HR |
RBI |
SB |
| Dobbs |
.333 |
9 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| Ichiro |
.330 |
473 |
77 |
156 |
12 |
6 |
6 |
35 |
34 |
| Broussard |
.311 |
286 |
45 |
89 |
14 |
0 |
14 |
47 |
0 |
| Betancourt |
.302 |
378 |
49 |
114 |
17 |
4 |
5 |
36 |
10 |
| Johjima |
.293 |
338 |
44 |
99 |
17 |
1 |
12 |
50 |
1 |
| Perez |
.289 |
135 |
21 |
39 |
9 |
0 |
9 |
28 |
0 |
| Lopez |
.285 |
424 |
57 |
121 |
23 |
7 |
9 |
62 |
3 |
| Ibanez |
.276 |
427 |
69 |
118 |
24 |
5 |
23 |
89 |
2 |
| Beltre |
.260 |
430 |
59 |
112 |
28 |
4 |
12 |
52 |
10 |
| Bloomquist |
.255 |
157 |
25 |
40 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
9 |
9 |
| Sexson |
.222 |
414 |
47 |
92 |
20 |
0 |
24 |
76 |
1 |
| Reed |
.217 |
212 |
27 |
46 |
6 |
5 |
6 |
17 |
2 |
| Jones |
.204 |
54 |
2 |
11 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
2 |
| Rivera |
.154 |
65 |
7 |
10 |
4 |
0 |
2 |
4 |
0 |
| Snelling |
— |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Team |
.267 |
3857 |
521 |
1028 |
171 |
33 |
113 |
485 |
76 |
|
| PITCHERS |
W-L |
ERA |
SV |
IP |
H |
ER |
BB |
SO |
| Lowe |
1-0 |
0.00 |
0 |
14.2 |
8 |
0 |
6 |
17 |
| Soriano |
1-1 |
2.02 |
2 |
53.1 |
39 |
12 |
17 |
59 |
| Putz |
2-0 |
2.17 |
24 |
54.0 |
37 |
13 |
9 |
70 |
| Sherrill |
2-2 |
2.81 |
1 |
32.0 |
18 |
10 |
20 |
35 |
| Woods |
3-1 |
3.78 |
1 |
50.0 |
47 |
21 |
30 |
34 |
| Moyer |
6-10 |
4.28 |
0 |
147.1 |
162 |
70 |
40 |
78 |
| Meche |
9-6 |
4.35 |
0 |
136.2 |
136 |
66 |
57 |
114 |
| Washburn |
5-11 |
4.47 |
0 |
137.0 |
142 |
68 |
39 |
74 |
| Hernandez |
10-9 |
4.49 |
0 |
128.1 |
132 |
64 |
46 |
117 |
| Mateo |
7-4 |
4.67 |
0 |
44.1 |
53 |
23 |
19 |
15 |
| Green |
0-0 |
5.40 |
0 |
20.0 |
19 |
12 |
10 |
12 |
| Pineiro |
7-9 |
5.78 |
0 |
127.2 |
163 |
82 |
45 |
64 |
| Team |
54-57 |
4.35 |
34 |
996.2 |
1021 |
482 |
372 |
745 |
For the record
W/L streak: W-1
At home: 29-29
On road: 25-28
vs. AL West: 10-21
vs. Angels: 7-5
vs. Oakland: 1-12
vs. Texas: 2-4
vs. AL East: 16-14
vs. AL Cen.: 14-18
vs. NL: 14-4
vs. LHP: 16-18
vs. RHP: 38-39
Day: 18-20
Night: 36-37
1-run: 12-17
Extra innings: 3-7
Home attendance
Monday's crowd: 30,375
Overall attendance: 1,740,832
Season avg. (58 games): 30,014
Biggest crowd: 46,325
Smallest crowd: 16,102
2005 avg. (58 games): 34,134
The week ahead
T
Tampa Bay
7:05 p.m., FSN
RH Felix
Hernandez (10-9)
vs.
RH Jae Seo
(3-9)
W
Tampa Bay
1:35 p.m.
LH Jarrod
Washburn (5-11)
vs.
RH Jamie Shields
(4-5)
Th
@ Texas
5:05 p.m., FSN
RH Joel Pineiro
(7-9)
vs.
LH John Koronka (7-7)
F
@ Texas
5:35 p.m., Ch. 11
RH Gil Meche
(9-6)
vs.
RH Adam Eaton (1-2)
Sa
@ Texas
5:05 p.m., Ch. 11
LH Jamie Moyer (6-10)
vs.
RH Kip Wells
(2-5)
Su
@ Texas
5:05 p.m., no TV
RH Felix
Hernandez (10-9)
vs.
RH Kevin
Millwood (10-7)
M
@ Oakland
7:05 p.m., FSN
LH Jarrod
Washburn (5-11)
vs.
RH Shane Komine (0-0)
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