Cliff Lee appealed his suspension Wednesday in a telephone conference call that took close to two hours – and didn’t end with a decision.
“I didn’t have any idea how long it would take. We were saying the same things over and over, really,” Lee said. “It lasted more than two hours.”
It wasn’t a one-on-one appeal MLB vice president Bob Watson, who oversees rules and on-field actions. Besides Lee and Watson, there were an arbiter, Lee’s agent and at least two witnesses on Lee’s behalf – manager Don Wakamatsu and trainer Rick Griffin.
At the heart of the discussion was Lee throwing a pitch behind the head of Arizona catcher Chris Snyder on March 15, Lee’s second spring start. That was the game in which Snyder and Lee tangled behind the plate, the play during which Lee suffered a strained abdominal muscle that’s kept him off the field since.
“I sat in on Cliff Lee’s hearing. I thought it went real well, but we won’t hear back for a couple of days,” Wakamatsu said. “It was pretty interesting, almost two hours. A lot of words.
“I thought it went well. It’s a pretty interesting process. I said my two cents and that was it.”
Lee has been on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to March 26, and within the next week could begin a short rehabilitation assignment in the minors with the hope he can return late this month.
If his five-day suspension is overturned or – more likely – reduced, it will impact the timing of his return.
Ironman at shortstop
Shortstop Jack Wilson has started each of the first 10 games of the season, in part because there’s not another true shortstop on the roster, but Wakamatsu said he’d taken care of that Wednesday.
“I told him if he played tonight, I’d give him (today) off,” Wakamatsu said, well aware that the team has today off.
“One thing we’re trying to focus on more than anything with Jack is his postgame workout routine. He’s been on it since spring training,” Wakamatsu said. “He looks stronger to me and says he feels good. We’re hoping we’re going down the right track keeping his legs in shape.
“He’s working much harder than he has in the past and I think it’s evident. He’s feeling it right now, so we’re hoping it keeps him healthy.”
Exactly what is the 32-year-old doing?
“A lot more leg routine. A lot of players as they go forward and play a lot of games they don’t want to work out because they feel they’ll get fatigued more,” Wakamatsu said. “I found it to be quite the opposite. You have to go in there at least once a week to do a fairly strenuous leg workout to kind of jump-start them.
“That’s what we’ve been trying to do since spring training and he seems to be a lot better because of it.”
Short hops
With today’s scheduled day off, the Mariners decided to play Erik Byrnes in left field and Matt Tuiasosopo at first base, both to give them playing time and to give first baseman Casey Kotchman what amounts to a two-day break. Milton Bradley – after a two-hit night that included the winning three-run home run – started as the designated hitter. … Pitcher Ian Snell will rejoin the team Friday after attending the funeral of a relative Wednesday. Pitching coach Rick Adair rearranged the rotation to accommodate Snell. Now, Ryan Rowland-Smith will start Saturday’s game and Snell will start on Sunday.
On tap
The Mariners have today off before Detroit visits Safeco Field for Friday’s opener of a three-game series.
larry.larue@thenewstribune.com
blog.thenewstribune.com/mariners
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