Prepare for the inevitable rumors about Seattle pursuing any and all hitters who may or may not be available.
Kansas City started it with a report the Mariners had “shown interest” in Royals designated hitter Jose Guillen. The former Seattle outfielder is batting .275 with eight home runs and 21 RBI, and is in the final season of a three-year, $36 million deal.
Not surprisingly, the Mariners had no comment – but a rent-a-hitter approach wouldn’t seem to be in Jack Zduriencik’s plans.
Meanwhile, there’s one Hank Blalock a 29-year-old designated hitter/third baseman playing in Triple-A for Tampa Bay. Over his first 20 games, Blalock batted .388 with three home runs and 21 RBI. Go ahead, drool.
At issue is what the Rays might want in return, and what the Mariners have to trade. Tampa has no desire to move him – he’s insurance against injury for their club – and consider him a chip that could be played late in the summer to make them a stronger team at the big-league level.
Don’t be surprised if by the time the Rays shop Blalock, the Mariners have been forced to begin shopping Cliff Lee.
A free agent after the 2010 season, try to imagine Lee turning down all the powerhouse teams that will pursue him to return to a team that quite simply cannot outscore the opposition.
BEDARD EYEING JUNE
Erik Bedard is now on target for a tentative mid-June return, not because of any setback but because he has about that much work ahead of him to be ready.
“Mid-June would be 10 months after surgery,” Bedard said. “I’m throwing a 30-pitch simulated game Tuesday, and from there I’ll have to build up my pitch total. So probably another one or two of those and then I’ll start a rehab assignment.”
The good news for the Mariners? Bedard hasn’t felt pain or even mild discomfort in months and even has begun developing a feel for his pitches.
The bad?
“I haven’t pitched against hitters, I haven’t pitched with any real adrenaline yet,” he said. “And the pitching isn’t even the issue. The issue is how do I bounce back the day after I pitch, and am I ready to do it again five days later?
“We won’t know that until I do it, until I have that routine of what pitchers do between starts.”
Bedard, 30, is on a one-year deal with Seattle built around incentives, and team doctors and trainers say he’s done everything they’ve asked of him since the day he underwent surgery Aug. 14.
He has watched Lee come back from a abdominal strain and rejoin the rotation – and admits to a little envy.
“That’s what you want to do – pitch,” Bedard said. “The hard work just to get back on the mound? That’s not fun. Being unable to pitch isn’t fun. You want to be out there on the mound, helping your team.”
FELIX TOO FINE
Felix Hernandez was fine the day after a 3-inning start, reporting absolutely no back pain.
So what happened Friday night?
“What you saw last night was a pitcher trying to create things – he had about eight different deliveries,” manager Don Wakamatsu said. “That’s why you saw him throwing fastballs from 91-97 mph. He didn’t throw too many pitches with the same delivery.”
ON TAP
Seattle hosts Los Angeles in a 1:10 p.m. game on FSN. Probable starting pitchers: Ervin Santana (1-2, 4.02 ERA) for the Angels vs. Seattle’s Jason Vargas (2-2, 3.69).
larry.larue@thenewstribune.com blog.thenewstribune.com/mariners
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