Good Start on Spring Training Games Mariners!

The Seattle Mariners won another game on Thursday over the San Diego Padres. Like we all know the spring training games are meaningless in general as far as winning the game. The important thing is to get ready for the regular season.

Starting pitcher Nathan Karns had a shaky start throwing twenty-two pitchers in the first however did not give up any runs and went through the second much better. Over the history of baseball we have seen pitchers have poor first innings so no big deal there.

The other pitchers who followed certainly did not have a good game either unlike game number one. Closer Steve Cishek came in early in the game and had a poor outing however we know that this is common for closers in spring training as well. The important thing is that he is ready for the regular season. The other pitchers who made appearance in the game most likely won’t be on the roster anyway.

What came out good in the game on Thursday was utility player Luis Sardinas who came in the game at third base for Kyle Seager hit two home runs and drove in four of the Mariners six runs. So I see him the frontrunner for the utility position however the most important thing for the utility player is the defense. All three players who are the primary candidates all have speed too so this will be part of the makeup of the utility player whomever it will be. Hitting will be important however the defense will be the most important thing because when they come into the game the Mariners will expect them to be the same defensively as the starter in that position. No one expects them to hit as well as the starter otherwise they would be starting. Whomever the utility player ends up to be when not starting a game they likely will come into a game late as a pinch runner or hitter.

Game number three today the Mariners will be facing the Milwaukee Brewers on the road. TaiJuan Walker will be starting for the Mariners today. We can hope that he has the same spring training that he had last year. The Mariners are expecting him to be the fourth starter. We can hope that he will pitch this season like he did the second half of last year. The Mariners hope that TaiJuan can have the season where he will become the second starter for the team.

Today the Mariners will have the starting outfield against right handers while the infield will have no starters today. Sardinas will be at shortstop while Chris Taylor at third and Shawn O’Malley at second. We expect all three of those guys playing some third base as well as shortstop. All three can play second.

Until next time Go Mariners!