When Eric Wedge met with the media at the winter meetings in Dallas, he wasn’t asked a single question about Prince Fielder – but that was one of the few people who didn’t come up.
The Seattle Mariners manager was peppered with questions about Ichiro Suzuki, Mike Carp, Franklin Gutierrrez, Justin Smoak, Chone Figgins, Munenori Kawasaki, Casper Wells and Greg Halman.
It was a lot to deal with, but Wedge by-and-large answered every question.
After the worst season in his 11-year career, Ichiro and Wedge have talked this off-season, and Wedge said he’s told Ichiro he may not be the Mariners leadoff hitter in 2012.
“I’m not sure where I’m going to hit him in the order,” Wedge said. “I’m going to do what’s best for the club. If I feel like that’s him leading off, that’s what we’re going to do. And if I feel like that’s him hitting in the three-hole, that’s what I’m going to do. “
Wedge said he’s met with Ichiro twice since the season ended.
“I want to keep the lines of communication open,” he said. “I don’t want him to read something ... through you guys that I haven’t already talked to him about.
“I haven’t been around him in a prototypical year. I still continue to focus on the 10 years that he had, how successful he was. He’s only one year removed from that, and I feel like he’s capable of getting back to that level. “
Wedge said he’s trying to get a number of players to come to Seattle next month, in essence so he and team trainer Rick Griffin can get a look at them and how their offseason goals have progressed.
For Franklin Gutierrez, who battled stomach issues early and a abdominal strain late, that was gaining a bit of weight.
“His weight is actually better than we thought it would be,” Wedge said. “I know what he can do when he’s good. I’m talking about getting on base, stealing bases. I’m talking about being ... a run producer.”
In Smoak’s case, it was losing body fat.
“We had him come out here and did some things. We sent a guy back there with him to meet with his guy and do some things,” Wedge said.
Outfielder Wells, who started strong after coming to Seattle in the Doug Fister trade, then faded and battled vertigo-like symptom?
“He had some eye issues, head issues, sinus issues, he had some things going on upstairs that really affected him,” Wedge said. “And we feel like we’re on top of that right now.
“The guy is a rock. Athletically, he’s very good. I love him in the outfield. I love him on the bases. We saw a couple of weeks that were pretty special. I know what he’s capable of doing.”
The questions kept coming, and Wedge kept talking. Among his answers:
On Figgins: “I want him to be able to play all over the place. I want him to come to spring training and be prepared to play wherever we need him.”
On Carp: “I’m looking at him more in the outfield - that’s where the bulk of his time is going to come in spring training. When he was out in left field on a somewhat regular basis, he was more and more comfortable.”
On free agent Japanese shortstop Kawasaki, who has said he wants to play only for Seattle: “I think that has more to do with Ichiro than it has to do with Seattle or Eric Wedge. I can tell you that much.”
On the killing of outfielder Halman: “It’s just a horrible tragedy. You realize just how fragile life is, and I think about his family and what they’re through ... I think about his teammates and how tough that was for them. It’s hard to even think about.”
Larry LaRue: 253-597-6233 larrylarue@thenewstribune.com
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