Seattle Mariner Spring Training Report: Day Three…Our last day in the desert… batting practice, Erik Wedge, King Felix and another Mariner win …by Mark Arnold

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ime, as the saying goes, flies when you are having fun; and fun is definitely what Chris, Tim and I have been having during our brief weekend down here in Arizona at Seattle Mariners Spring Training. All too soon, it seems, we have arrived at Sunday…our last day in the desert. It has truly been a magnificent experience. One of my goals for the trip, besides enjoying the baseball with my good friends, was getting some great photos of Mariner players in action.  Specifically I wanted shots of Dustin Ackley, Kyle Seager, Raul Ibanez, Felix Hernandez, Kendrys Morales, Mike Morse and Jesus Montero.  I also wanted a shot or several of team Manager Eric Wedge. Going into Sunday I had accomplished them all except for Felix and Wedge, so wrapping up those two was my first priority. Oddly, through the first two days of games and practices we had seen neither, but it was our intention that on Sunday all that would change.

          I woke up on Sunday morning, as I had the prior two mornings, to the smell of coffee. Tim had taken it upon himself to ensure that I had a cup ready for me on Friday and Saturday mornings and Sunday was no different. I was the last to bed the prior two nights due to staying up late completing these Mariner reports and therefore was also the last to rise. The morning coffee, both smell and drink, definitely helped to speed the process. Since we were leaving for Seattle later in the afternoon we had the added chore of packing and checking out of the hotel and still wanted to get to the Mariner practice in Peoria by 9AM. We had heard that King Felix was going to pitch a minor league game in the early afternoon and we wanted to see the team taking batting and fielding practice. We also still fancied the idea of getting some autographs plus wanted to see the last of the four games we had tickets for. You can see we had a lot left on our battle plan.

          We had breakfast, checked out of the hotel and were on the road to Peoria by 8:40AM. By now Chris had more or less mastered the route to the sports complex and by 9:15 we were walking out into the Mariners practice area. We could see the minor leaguers working out in the distance off to our right, but today was definitely going to be a big league day. Hopefully we would get the chance to see Wedge and the boys and get some autographs.

Kyle Seager (L), Kendrys Morales (bending),
Eric Wedge (hatless) and Franklin Gutierrez (R)
at batting practice 

          By 10AM, nothing much was happening but a short while later the entire team came out for batting and fielding practice. Due to it being March 17^th, St. Patrick’s Day, all of the players and coaches had green baseball caps on; a nice touch I thought. The players divided up in groups of about 5 a piece for batting practice and each player would take about eight or nine swings and then give way to the next player in his group who would do the same. The group would cycle through in this fashion about 6 times so each player got 60 or so swings. The first group we watched had Kyle Seager, Kendrys Morales and Raul Ibanez among others and the second group featured Dustin Ackley, Franklin Gutierrez and Justin Smoak. Having played baseball up to the high school level I have some concept of what hitting is like. Watching these guys hit, however, is something else again. They make such great contact and generate such phenomenal power. Seeing them up close like you do at these practices is a very special treat to a baseball fan and you get an appreciation for the feats of skill these guys can perform.

          For instance, I watched Kyle Seager deliberately hit pitched balls, first to the left side, then up the middle and then to the right. He could hit the ball where he wanted at will. I then watched Kendrys Morales take what appeared to be a nice easy swing and launch a baseball nearly 400 feet into the distance. Once, when Dustin Ackley was hitting, he powered a pitch over the 385 foot sign on the outfield fence at the exact time a pick-up truck was driving down the road just beyond the fence. As the ball disappeared over the barrier all of our eyes, both player and fan, were watching to see if Ackley’s shot would drill the truck. An audible, group gasp was followed by joyful laughter when the ball just missed.

Manager Eric Wedge with
Raul Ibanez at batting practice

          In the middle of batting practice Mariner manager Eric Wedge finally made his appearance. If you watch Mariner games on TV you will get the impression that Wedge is a bit on the stern side; you don’t see him smiling and laughing much. (Of course the way the Mariners played the last couple of years could explain that.) Because of this, seeing Wedge laughing and joking with the players and assistant coaches while the players took their swings presented a whole new aspect of him to those of us watching. The guy was definitely loose, as were the players and coaches around him. It was apparent they all were having a great time.

          As the batting practice wound down the infielders started taking fielding practice; Seager taking some grounders at third base and Ackley at second. New Mariner catcher Kelly Shoppach would get the throws coming in from the fielders and toss the ball to the coach who was hitting the grounders. After the infielders had been drilled the coach doing the hitting demonstrated his skill by actually drilling Shoppach on catching foul ball pop ups. Being able to do this is vital for any catcher, as two or three times during the course of a game he will be called upon to do just that. The coach would toss the ball into the air with one hand and then swing his bat upward in such a way as to hit the ball with a glancing blow that would cause it to go straight up in the air, just like it would in a game. Shoppach easily handled the first three or four foul pops hit for him but on the last one he either lost it in the sun or simply misplayed it, as the ball just clipped his glove on the way down and hit him square in the face. Feigning injury, Shoppach collapsed to the ground and lay there for at least a minute while the rest of the players and especially Wedge erupted in laughter. At last he hauled himself to his feet and sheepishly looked at his teammates; “Must be the green cap”, he said.

          Welcome to the Mariners Kelly Shoppach!

Tim and Chris in one of the electric shuttles
you can use for free

          Practice was over about 11:15 AM and the players left the field to get ready for the afternoon’s game against the Texas Rangers. Chris, Tim and I decided to head over to the stadium early to see if we could get some autographs from the players as they arrived and made their way to the team dugout. Also, for some reason Chris had gotten it in his head that he wanted one of the foot long hot dogs you could get at the concession stand. He’d heard somewhere that they were especially good and had been talking about getting one since Friday. (I was hoping he would so I wouldn’t have to hear about it anymore.) It’s a bit of a hike from the practice fields to the stadium, but one of the cool features the Mariners have in place is that there are a number of small electric motor carts that will haul you around for free. Seeing one of these available we hopped aboard and the driver had us at the stadium in no time. Once inside the park we worked our way down to the dugout and with a few other fans waited in the front row for the players to show so we could try for autographs. Chris took this opportunity to go get his much anticipated “foot long” and Tim didn’t want to sit in the sun and get more burned than he already was, so he went to find some shade. That left me sitting there enjoying the hot sun while looking out at this beautifully kept ball park that was spread out before me.

One of the beautiful Cactus League ballparks:
"...the geometry of the universe"

          There has always been something a bit magical to me about the configuration of a ballpark, especially the big league parks that are so well cared for. The green grass contrasts with the classic brown of the infield dirt and, on a nice day, the blue sky to create an amazing aesthetic that I really love. The lines and dimensions of the park add to this mix. Everything in a ballpark emanates out from home plate making it a kind of viewpoint; and when you stand in there as a hitter it is as if your action of looking out at the more distant points in the infield and outfield is actually making that space your own and thus, in a sense, your creation. There is something very fundamental about this that I find very, very appealing. It lends a kind of spiritual aspect to the game and may be the factor that inspires such movies as “Field of Dreams” and “The Natural” that play on this spiritual quality. There is definitely something about a ballpark and therefore baseball that aligns with the geometry of the universe it seems, and this may be what roots it so deeply in our collective psyche. Also, looking at a ballpark on a beautiful day always makes me remember the many such days I spent playing baseball as a kid and how much fun I had. All of that explains why I could simply sit there by myself and have a great time just looking at this beautiful Peoria ballpark.

          Presently my reverie was shattered by two things; Chris returning from getting his “foot long” and the arrival of Mariner players to the dugout. It was time to go for some autographs and Chris seized the moment. A number of fans had lined up by the dugout to do the same thing but Chris was undaunted. He crowded his way in and handed a baseball down over the edge to a player below and when it was returned to him Chris proudly made his way back to me to show me the signature. I took a look at it but there is no earthly way in hell I could tell who it was if not for Chris telling me that it was Dustin Ackley’s autograph I was holding. The writing on the ball just looked like chicken scratch. Anyone could have scrawled what I saw on the ball and said it was Dustin Ackley’s signature. I didn’t doubt Chris for a second that it was Ackley’s signature, but unless you knew that Ackley wrote that way there was no way to prove it. Of course my writing makes Ackley look like a penmanship master, as anyone who has seen it will tell you, so I have no room to complain.

          It was coming up on 1PM in the afternoon. The Mariners game against Texas was to start in a few minutes and the stands were starting to fill with fans. More important to us, though, was getting back over to the minor league fields where we had heard that King Felix Hernandez would be pitching the first three innings of a single A game just so he could get his work in. This was a rare opportunity to see one of the greatest pitchers in the game up close and personal. He would be pitching in a ballpark more suited to a high school team with bleacher stands on the first and third base lines that held no more than 200 people. There is no way we were going to miss Felix so Chris and I retrieved Tim from where he was lounging in the shade and caught one of the little electric shuttles back to the minor league fields arriving just in time to see Felix take the mound.

"The King" Felix Hernandez

          What a sight it was to watch Felix that close and I can only imagine what the minor league hitters he was facing were thinking. “My God!” they must have thought, “Here I am facing Felix Hernandez! The guy who threw a perfect game last year! Shit!” After watching a few of the hitters take their “at bats” however, it was obvious they were not intimidated and it was equally obvious Felix was not sharp. He hit a batter and gave up several long doubles allowing one run in the process. None of that really mattered to us; this was Spring Training after all. I stuck my camera lens through the chain link fence and snapped picture after picture of Felix during different stages of his wind up and delivery. We all had a blast watching him pitch.

          After Felix pitched his innings we grabbed another shuttle and went back to the big stadium to catch the rest of the Major League game. We got there in the bottom of the second to find the Mariners trailing one to nothing. Our starter Blake Beavan got us through the top of the third unscathed and then in the bottom of the frame Raul Ibanez brought the crowd to its feet with a long home run to right giving us a 2-1 lead. From that point on Beavan pitched magnificently going six innings and only giving up the one run. The Rangers scored two runs in the 7^th inning taking a 3-2 lead thus setting the stage for more hitting heroics from new Mariner Kendrys Morales.  Get used to it M’s fans, for I have a feeling you will be seeing Morales do often what he did in this spring game against Texas, and that is launch what proved to be the game winning two run home run in the bottom of the eighth giving the Mariners a 4-3 victory.

          Unfortunately for us we missed Morales’s shot because, needing to return our rental car and get to the airport for our flight back to Seattle, we had to leave in the 7^th inning. We didn’t find out about the win, which gave us a 3-1 record for the weekend, until we touched down in Seattle and got a chance to get some sports news. For me personally, having seen firsthand this resurgent Seattle Mariner team across three glorious days of baseball and sun in the desert, I was not surprised to hear of Morales’s game winning home run. Also certain is that this is not the last time that the intrepid trio of Chris, Tim and Mark will be spending quality Spring Training time in the Arizona desert.

          All I can say is the “Salty Senorita” better be ready!

Copyright©2013

By Mark Arnold

All Rights Reserved

Seattle Mariner Spring Training Report: Day Two… Morning practice and a great game at Salt River Fields…another Mariner win plus a foul ball for Chris…by Mark Arnold

 

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ello again baseball fans! We have just completed day two of our Seattle Mariner Spring Training odyssey and it is time to update you on the latest baseball news from the desert. It was another beautiful day in Peoria with a slight morning haze burning off by 10:30 AM to reveal a beautiful blue sky that stayed that way the rest of the day. The morning temperature was in the ‘70s but as the sun made its full appearance it started to climb fast. To us Seattleites this is summer weather. I heard it was raining and 50 in Seattle. I feel for you guys up north.

Raul Ibanez in
batting cage

          We made it to the Mariners morning practice in time to get some good autographs we thought, but for some reason not many of the big leaguers showed. I got the chance to get to know some of the other fans visiting, a guy named Ray from San Diego and a guy named Bill from Kirkland, Washington. Ray is an avid autograph collector and Bill just seemed to be hanging out taking in anything that might be happening. They both were older gentleman, older than me even, and we had a great time talking baseball and sharing our observations about things. Finally some of the Mariners regulars made it to the batting cages to take some swings. The cages are shut off from the public so players can get their work in but there are some holes through which you can peer. By sticking my camera lens through these holes I got some good shots of Jesus Montero, Kendrys Morales and Raul Ibanez at batting practice. Alas…despite our arriving early enough there was no chance for autographs.

          While I was talking to Ray and Bill, Chris and Tim wandered off somewhere and I finally found them sitting in an area that had a sign guarding it that said “Authorized Personnel Only”. Knowing these two were definitely not “authorized”, I took the opportunity to take a picture for evidence but could find no one to report them to. We got a laugh out of that.

Salt River Fields,,,Spring home of the
Colorado Rockies

          With not much happening out at practice, we took off and caught some lunch and then headed out to Scottsdale and “Salt River Fields”, the spring training home of the Colorado Rockies. “Salt River Fields” is a baseball complex that the Rockies share with the Arizona Diamondbacks. The main stadium is absolutely gorgeous with the greenest grass contrasting with the classic brown infield dirt and all set against a bright blue sky. Beyond the outfield fence in all directions is a bright green, grassy rise that people can sit on and picnic while watching the game. If you like baseball and the ambience of it you would be in hog heaven at this place. Our seats for the game made things even more perfect. We were, as Bob Uecker says, in the “front row”, down the right field line just past first base. We were right on the field and, but for the rolled up tarp in front of us, could have easily leaned over the short wall and touched the playing field. Before the game started the Rockies players were passing right in front of us as they walked to the team dugout and often stopped to give autographs to the fans, one of whom was Chris, who got three player signatures on his game ticket.                                        

Rockies players signing
autographs

          At 1:15 PM the game got under way and once again the Mariners looked like a vastly improved team against last year’s edition. Our starting pitcher was Erasmo Ramirez and he showed that he is a strong contender for a spot on the regular season rotation. He pitched six strong innings, scattering eight hits while giving up two runs. Though he gave up several well hit balls that went for extra bases, he was extremely effective at limiting the damage and stranding the runners. Meanwhile the Mariners mounted a ten hit attack while winning the game by a 5-2 score. Continuing their newfound power this spring they got two more long balls, one from Kendrys Morales and the other from new comer Mike Jacobs. The Mariners have now hit 41 home runs this spring; a figure that I believe leads the Cactus League. Jesus Montero also had a double and a single as did Kyle Seager and Mike Morse got on base 3 times.

Kyle Seager hitting a double
vs Colorado Rockies

          Despite the Mariners offensive prowess, the highlight of the game had to be when Chris, with Tim’s help, got a foul ball. In the eighth inning Mariner center fielder Michael Saunders was hitting and scorched a ground ball just foul down the first base line. Chris had the glove on that I brought to the game for just such an eventuality. He was sitting on my right and Tim was sitting on my left. Chris had talked to me about getting a foul ball and now here was his chance. As the ball approached he dove forward from his seat, extended out and over the tarp and reached down with the glove blocking the ball’s progress. As Chris was doing this Tim leaped from where he was sitting on my left and also dove over the tarp. I stayed in my seat and was treated to the incredible view of Chris and Tim’s backsides while their heads and arms had disappeared, obscured by the tarp. Somehow between the two of them they corralled the ball and when Chris pulled himself back up from the tarp it was with ball in hand and a satisfied grin on his face. There is nothing like getting a foul ball at a baseball game!

Chris got a foul ball...with help
from Tim

          There you go fans…you now have your Day Two report. The Mariners are 2-1 in the games we have seen and they definitely look to this long time observer to be a much improved team. Tomorrow is our last day in the desert; our time here has passed all too quickly. In the morning we hope to get some autographs at long last and then will catch one more game before heading for the airport and back to rainy Seattle. Rest assured that Chris, Tim and I will make the most of the short time we have left in the desert.

          Signing off for now…your Spring Training reporter…Mark Arnold!

Copyright © 2013

By Mark Arnold

All Rights Reserved

Seattle Mariner Spring Training Report: Day One…in which we arrive in Peoria, catch two ball games and survive a trip to the “Salty Senorita”…by Mark Arnold

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ello Sports fans! A few weeks ago my good friend Chris Finn and I were talking about making the trek to Peoria, Arizona where the Seattle Mariners have Spring Training every year. Though we had talked of going a number of times in the past, this time there was a steely resolve in Chris’s eye when he spoke of it. Having seen that look in Chris’s eye before, though it really was not in my schedule to go, I somehow knew this was the year I would wind up in Arizona in the middle of March. That being the case I was not surprised when Chris called me shortly after we discussed the idea informing me that it was settled; that we, along with our mutual good friend Tim Stoner, would all be going to Spring Training for a 3 day weekend of baseball and sun in Peoria, Arizona…and so here we are. As I write this I am sitting in our hotel room at 11:30 pm, on Friday, March 15. We have just completed our first day here at Seattle Mariners Spring Training…so I thought I would give you a report…

Tim Stoner and Mark Arnold at Angel
Stadium in Tempe, Az 

          Tim and I hit town late last night flying in from Seattle while Chris drove east across the desert to get here from San Diego where he had been on business. Chris picked us up from the airport and after taking several wrong turns we finally got to our hotel and to bed about 1AM. Got up bright and early and looked out the window at a clear blue sky and what looked to be a great day for baseball. The Mariners were playing a split squad game, which means they divide up the team and play two games. The first would be in the afternoon in Tempe against the Angels at their stadium and the second would be in the evening at the Mariners home stadium in Peoria. We hopped out to Tempe, which is very close to our hotel, and bought our tickets for the afternoon game and then dashed on out to Peoria to see if we could catch the Mariners at their morning practice before the game.

Chris Finn with Jose, a young
Nicaraguan pitcher

          By the time we got to Peoria, which is a ways from Tempe as well as our hotel, the practice was almost over but we got familiar with where the team holds its practices in the morning so we will be able to see them on Saturday and Sunday. We also got to see a bunch of the Mariners Minor League players at practice. They are a very personable bunch and very willingly stop to talk with you or to sign autographs when they are done with their work or are walking to different practice fields. We met one young player in particular, a young pitcher from Nicaragua whose name was Jose (I did not get his last name), who stopped and answered some questions and talked with us. Jose is a great guy…he is living his dream of making it to “the show”, but he has had some bumps along the road. Though only twenty one he has already had some arm trouble and required “Tommy John” surgery to repair his elbow. He showed us his scar. Jose says his arm is great now and that he can still hum his fastball at 94 miles an hour. We wished him luck and shook his hand and I got a great picture of Chris with him. (Tim was originally in the picture too but his eyes were shut in the picture so I cropped him out. If Jose turns into a star Tim will regret that)

Justin Smoak congratulated after
homering vs Angels

          We then took off to catch the game at Tempe against the Angels. The Mariners showed that propensity for home runs that they have displayed all spring hitting three more dingers while winning the game 8 to 5. Justin Smoak went yard hitting a 3-2 pitch for an opposite field home run…he definitely looks improved from what I can see. Despite Smoak’s homer, the hitting star of the game was a relatively unknown player, at least to me, named Julio Morban. Julio hit two long two run homers, one in the second inning and one in the eighth. The Mariner starter was Jeremy Bonderman. He went four innings if I recall correctly and except for the second inning when he gave up two runs he looked good. His curve ball especially looked sharp.

The "Salty Senorita"

          After the game we went back to the hotel, grabbed a nap and then took off to Peoria to catch the evening game. Like I said, it is a bit of a drive to get to Peoria and when we got there it was twenty minutes before game time. We hadn’t eaten dinner and decided to forsake the first couple of innings of the game to go sample the fare at that famous Arizona Spring Training watering hole located hard by the Peoria Sports complex…The Salty Senorita. I had heard Mariner announcer Rick Rizzs conducting a show from their once a couple weeks ago and you could hear the crowd buzz in the background. Even over the radio the place sounded wild…but it doesn’t really prepare you for the real thing. The best way I can describe The Salty Senorita is that it is a cross between a 1980s “pick up” bar, a Wild West saloon and the cantina scene from “Star Wars”. The place was packed and the service slow but no one cared. When our waitress finally appeared Chris decided he wanted to get her to pose for a picture between Tim and himself. The waitress, who was quite pretty, took one look at Chris and, obviously mis-reading his intentions, muttered something under her breath and fled the scene. I told Chris not to worry; that, except for this blog, what happens at The Salty Senorita stays at The Salt Senorita. Fortunately for us the waitress wasn’t blown off for good and still brought us our food. My steak burrito was delicious.

Carlos Puegero belts a double

          We finally made it to the stadium during the bottom of the second inning. The Mariners were playing the Netherlands national team that is currently involved in the World Baseball Classic. The Netherland team was already ahead three to one when we got there; a lead that expanded to six to one by the eighth inning. Contrary to the afternoon game, in this game the Mariners did not hit well. Dustin Ackley had a 2 for 4 night with an RBI double and Carlos Peguero launched a ringing double in the 5^th inning I believe, but that was about it for the offense. Pitching wise John Garland started and was roughed up in the first for three runs, his toughest outing of the Spring thus far. Mariner reliever Lucas Luetge was sharp in the two innings that he pitched. I also was able to get a number of great photos of the players in action, which I always love.

                                                                                     

Peoria Sports Complex...Spring Training
home of the Seattle Mariners

          While the game was not that good, the atmosphere at the stadium was fantastic and the weather absolutely perfect. A new moon hung over the stadium the whole game, lending its aesthetic to the evening’s proceedings. Tim, Chris and I had an absolute blast and look forward to tomorrow; our second day at Seattle Mariners Spring Training. We intend to make it to practice this time, hopefully seeing Felix Hernandez work out in the bullpen.

          Signing off for now from Peoria…your Spring Training reporter…..

Mark Arnold! 

Copyright © 2013

By Mark Arnold

All Rights Reserved

Hope Springs Eternal: Mariners Have Something Brewing in Peoria…by Mark Arnold

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ope, as they say, springs eternal. For Seattle Mariner fans over the last decade or so, spring has been the time of year when we could revel in the fact that we weren’t 12 or 13 games out of first and out of the race by June.  In mid March our dreams of a ’95 like run down the stretch to the AL West pennant and playoff baseball have not yet been shattered by reality. (I can’t believe that I am saying this, but for those of you too young to recall, the 1995 Mariners, the team that had Ken Griffey Jr., Edgar Martinez, Randy Johnson and Jay Buhner, made a thrilling mad dash to the AL West pennant coming from 13 games back at the beginning of August to defeat the Angels in a 1 game playoff and then the Yankees in a first round playoff series. That ‘95 team and season saved baseball in Seattle.) But, don’t look now Mariner fans, if the team’s early Cactus League results mean anything, this could be the season we start to shed the last decade’s worth of failed hope.

Ken Griffey Jr.

          Yes…to this reporter it looks as if the Mariners definitely have something brewing down in Peoria. As of yesterday’s games they have won 8 straight and the highlight has been, unwontedly, the offense. For a team with the worst plate skills in baseball over the last 3 seasons this is definitely a good sign. Through 9 spring games thus far the Mariners have bashed 20 home runs while making nothing of opposing pitching in the process. They are scoring runs in bunches and are winning games. They currently have something like 16 players hitting .300 or better so far this spring (11 are better than .400). Justin Smoak, Jason Bay and Franklin Gutierrez particularly have all looked good and Bay is showing signs of returning to the form that made him a National League All Star several season ago. He seems to have a good idea at the plate, isn’t swinging at bad pitches and leads the team in walks, on base percentage and “on base plus slugging” percentage through these first 9 games. Overall it has been an impressive start to the spring for the Seattle Mariners.

Justin Smoak

          Of course the pessimist in me points out that Major League history is littered with teams that had great springs that then went hollow when the regular season started. Such facts reinforce that something about the mind that wallows in the negative and tugs at our hope to bring it down. Contrasting this, however, is the fact that every now and then the miraculous manifests, like it did for the Mariners in ’95. For me as a Mariner fan, those are the moments I choose to put my attention on.Those are the moments that give me hope.

          And hope, after all, does spring eternal…doesn’t it?   Go M’s!

Copyright © 2013

By Mark Arnold

All Rights Reserved