Game One Spring Training Coming Up Saturday

The day has arrived where the Mariners will be having their first game of the spring training on this day of February 25.

The starting lineup for the game looks like the one that may start the regular season. Only three players that we are familiar with will start this game along with Mike Zunino at catcher and Leonys Martin in center field. Robinson Cano, Nelson Cruz and Kyle Seager will again be in the middle of the lineup batting three thru five.

The Mariners will be starting two guys at the top of the lineup in Jarrod Dyson in left field and Jean Segura at shortstop. These two will get things going for the big three as we will call them. We hope that either or both will get on in the first inning in most of the Mariner games. Manager Scott Servais have giving both of them the green light to steal bases. Last year before coming to Seattle combined they had more stolen bases than the whole Mariner team. Not only we hope that they score early but they can help with runs throughout the game. The problem with last season’s team is that they would only score early and then the opposition was able to get back into the game. There were times that the Mariners rallied late in the ninth inning but the Mariners don’t want to count on that this season.  It would be nice to score at least one run during the middle innings to put pressure on the other team and the pitching staff will feel comfortable with a good lead.

Mitch Haniger in right field and Daniel Vogelbach at first base will bat sixth and the seventh in the batting before Zunino and Martin. With Martin batting ninth that will help rally continue with Dyson and Segura at the top. Danny Valencia who will play some at first base or in the outfield will bat in either Haniger or Vogelbach’s spot in the lineup or could bat second when Dyson isn’t in the lineup. Although the lineup is suspected to look like this when the season opens there could be a little change depending on how Haniger and Vogelbach do during the spring. Depending on their performances either or both could start the season in Tacoma as well. The Mariners are hoping that is not the case.

Ariel Miranda will start Saturday’s game for the Mariners against the San Diego Padres. There will be no television only on the Mariner radio network. Miranda is expected to go two innings followed by Ryan Weber, Cody Martin, James Pazos, Shae Simmons and Casey Fien. Martin was only one of those who pitched at all for the Mariners last year though he spent most of the season in Tacoma. Simmons and Fien are the only ones to have a chance to make the bullpen out of spring training. Pazos being a lefty could start the season in the bullpen if the Mariners either have Miranda in the starting rotation or he is sent down in Tacoma. He would only be in the rotation if something is wrong with any of the other pitchers expected to start. The Mariners staff so far likes what they see out of Pazos.

The Mariners first television game telecasted in Arizona won’t be until March 5 so those games on the radio only the fans will have to use their imagination on how the players are doing at the plate in the field. I expect though that some video will be shown on the Mariner’s website too. Go M’s.