The Seattle Mariners have been called much worse. If Jim Bowden is right, and the Mariners are the next version of the Tampa Bay Rays, it would certainly make plenty of fans hpy. In recent years, the Rays have put together the kind of club that small and medium markets hope to create, which includes great pitching, balanced hitting, and a minimum of high-priced free agents. What has to hpen for this prediction to come true?

The pitching staff

We have our ace in Felix Hernandez. For the Mariners to become the Rays, we need some of this purported talent to develop into genuine big leaguers in a fairly short period of time. That has been plenty of talk about Hector Noesi, Danny Hultzen, James Paxton and Taijuan Walker. Until that is the actual starting rotation and they all have positive records, the M’s are still going to be King Felix and a number of players who might live up to potential someday.

Coming together

On per, there is potential in the Mariner lineup. Despite a dreadful offense over the last couple of season, fans can be optimistic about players like Dustin Ackley, Mike Carp and Jesus Montero. Again, potential means nothing until the team starts hitting somewhere far north of .233 for the year. If Michael Saunders continues to hit like he has during the spring and Munenori Kawasaki turns out to be a solid contributor, this offense could actually have a bright future. Wouldn’t that be a nice change of pace?

Balance in the payroll

The fear with a team like the Mariners is that eventual success may be difficult to maintain from a payroll standpoint. Because of baseball’s dysfunctional financial system, a club like the Mariners is always at risk of being raided by the big spenders like the Yankees, Red Sox and Angels. Developing into the Rays is a nice thought, but Tampa Bay may have a hard time keeping their stars in the next couple of years. Still, it would be fun to watch a hot young team play for a few years and perhs even contend.

As a fan, I certainly wouldn’t mind if the Mariners found the same success as the Rays have discovered over the last few seasons. It has been a tough few years, and Seattle deserves better.

Sources:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/thehotstoneleague/2017708267_jim_bowden_raves_about_mariner.html

The author lives in Los Angeles, but grew up in Seattle and still roots faithfully for the Mariners even though they are sometimes frustrating to watch. He gets to Seattle whenever he can to see his M’s. You can follow him on Twitter @tpheifer.

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PEORIA, Ariz. () Hishashi Iwakuma’s second spring training outing for the Seattle Mariners was an improvement yet was short of where he wants to be.

His pearance limited because of high pitch counts in an intrasquad game and in his first start last Monday, Iwakuma gave up two runs and four hits over four innings Saturday in a 5-5, nine-inning tie against the Los Angeles Dodgers in a split-squad game.

Iwakuma threw 52 pitches in an outing that included a walk, a hit batter and a wild pitch. He gave up a solo homer to Matt Treanor in the third and another run in the fourth.

“I feel it was much better than last time,” he said through a translator. “I tried to pitch the split-finger and the sinker, too. … I want to pitch many innings, and I planned to pitch a couple of innings this time, so I’m glad I did that.”

Dodgers starter Nathan Eovaldi, who also has relieved this spring training, allowed two hits in three scoreless innings completed in an efficient 26 pitches.

“As long as I’m out there,” said Eovaldi, who hopes to make the big-league roster. “I felt like I performed really well last year. I’d like to really limit my walks and attack the hitters and get quick outs.”

Kyle Seager, a 24-year-old hoping to make Seattle’s opening-day roster, hit a solo homer in the fifth.

“It’s a good sound off the bat,” Mariners manager Eric Wedge said of Seager. “He’s definitely stronger and he barrels up the ball very well for a young man, but he’s driving it more this spring.”

Seattle had a four-run sixth that included doubles for Chone Figgins and Ichiro Suzuki and an RBI single for Seager, who also scored twice. Ronald Belisario allowed four runs in the inning, three of them earned.

“When Belly gets the ball up, he’s going to get hit,” Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. “He’s going to flatten out and he gets frustrated.”

Dodgers starting shortstop Justin Sellers, running from first base on a hit in the third inning, was struck in the chin by a bouncer into the hole between first and second. He was called out for interference and was shaken up, and he was replaced in the fourth. Sellers was light-headed and complained of a headache, Mattingly said, and was taken back to the Dodgers’ camp in Glendale for further evaluation.

“Our doctors are over there, they cleared him and sent him home,” Mattingly said. “No concussion. … I’ve got him in the lineup tomorrow, too, but that could change.”

NOTES: Dodgers OF Andre Ethier was scratched with his second occurrence of mid-back stiffness in a week. He felt discomfort during morning batting practice and had been scheduled for a day off Sunday, according to Mattingly. … The game was delayed momentarily when umpires made Belisario cover his forearm with a wristband. … The Mariners have changed regular-season game times on Sept. 5 and Oct. 3. because of the new playoff format. The Sept. 5 game against Boston was moved from 12:40 p.m. PDT to 7:10 p.m. and the Oct. 3 game against the Los Angeles Angels from 7:10 p.m. to 3:40 p.m. PDT. … Mariners ace Felix Hernandez is scheduled for his second spring training start Sunday against San Francisco in Scottsdale.

PEORIA, Ariz. ()—Hishashi Iwakuma’s second spring training outing for
the Seattle Mariners was an improvement yet was short of where he wants to be.

His pearance limited because of high pitch counts in an intrasquad game
and in his first start last Monday, Iwakuma gave up two runs and four hits over
four innings Saturday in a 5-5, nine-inning tie against the Los Angeles Dodgers
in a split-squad game.

Iwakuma threw 52 pitches in an outing that included a walk, a hit batter and
a wild pitch. He gave up a solo homer to Matt Treanor in the third and another
run in the fourth.

“I feel it was much better than last time,” he said through a translator.
“I tried to pitch the split-finger and the sinker, too. … I want to pitch
many innings, and I planned to pitch a couple of innings this time, so I’m glad
I did that.”

Dodgers starter Nathan Eovaldi, who also has relieved this spring training,
allowed two hits in three scoreless innings completed in an efficient 26
pitches.

“As long as I’m out there,” said Eovaldi, who hopes to make the big-league
roster. “I felt like I performed really well last year. I’d like to really
limit my walks and attack the hitters and get quick outs.”

Kyle Seager, a 24-year-old hoping to make Seattle’s opening-day roster, hit
a solo homer in the fifth.

“It’s a good sound off the bat,” Mariners manager Eric Wedge said of
Seager. “He’s definitely stronger and he barrels up the ball very well for a
young man, but he’s driving it more this spring.”

Seattle had a four-run sixth that included doubles for Chone Figgins and
Ichiro Suzuki and an RBI single for Seager, who also scored twice. Ronald
Belisario allowed four runs in the inning, three of them earned.

“When Belly gets the ball up, he’s going to get hit,” Dodgers manager Don
Mattingly said. “He’s going to flatten out and he gets frustrated.”

Dodgers starting shortstop Justin Sellers, running from first base on a hit
in the third inning, was struck in the chin by a bouncer into the hole between
first and second. He was called out for interference and was shaken up, and he
was replaced in the fourth. Sellers was light-headed and complained of a
headache, Mattingly said, and was taken back to the Dodgers’ camp in Glendale
for further evaluation.

“Our doctors are over there, they cleared him and sent him home,”
Mattingly said. “No concussion. … I’ve got him in the lineup tomorrow, too,
but that could change.”

NOTES: Dodgers OF Andre Ethier was scratched with his second occurrence of
mid-back stiffness in a week. He felt discomfort during morning batting practice
and had been scheduled for a day off Sunday, according to Mattingly. … The
game was delayed momentarily when umpires made Belisario cover his forearm with
a wristband. … The Mariners have changed regular-season game times on Sept. 5
and Oct. 3. because of the new playoff format. The Sept. 5 game against Boston
was moved from 12:40 p.m. PDT to 7:10 p.m. and the Oct. 3 game against the Los
Angeles Angels from 7:10 p.m. to 3:40 p.m. PDT. … Mariners ace Felix Hernandez
is scheduled for his second spring training start Sunday against San Francisco
in Scottsdale.

PEORIA, Ariz. — Seattle Mariners ace Felix Hernandez was glad to pitch in an actual game, even if it was just an exhibition.

The 2010 AL Cy Young Award winner struck out four in three hitless innings during an 8-6 victory against the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday.

The Mariners, who open the season on March 28 in Tokyo, have been in camp since Feb. 11, and Hernandez had thrown in an intrasquad game and a simulated contest before making his spring debut.

“It was nice, about time,” Hernandez said of facing another team. “First time I’ve been (against) the hitters, and I feel pretty good.”

Hernandez hit Kristopher Negron with the first pitch of the game, then retired the next nine batters.

“I don’t know what hpened,” Hernandez said about that shaky first pitch. “I tried to throw a back-door sinker. I think it sunk too much.”

Hernandez threw 26 of his 35 pitches for strikes. He had a wr on a hamstring after his outing, but said he was fine.

The 6-foot-3 right-hander said he will throw 65 pitches in his next start and probably 80 in the following outing to prepare for the season. He is expected to start on opening day against Oakland.

Mat Latos, expected to serve as Cincinnati’s No. 2 starter, allowed two hits in two scoreless innings in his spring debut. The Reds acquired the right-hander when they traded four players to San Diego in December.

“Everything was coming out of my hand real good,” Latos said. “The slider looked real good. The curveball had good bite to it. The fastball was real live. The changeup is in the back pocket. My arm felt great. The delivery, mechanics everything felt good.”

Latos went 9-14 with a 3.47 ERA last season. Following the trade, he thought he would have to prove himself. Now he is focused on preparing for the season.

“I try not to think about the trade as much as possible,” he said. “I just worry about taking care of what I can control.”

Seattle star Ichiro Suzuki went 3 for 3 with two RBIs to raise his spring average to .429. He is moving from his usual leadoff spot to the No. 3 spot this spring.

“He’s a hitter. He knows the game,” Mariners manager Eric Wedge said. “I want him to define that three-hole spot. He will, and he is. The more he’s there, the more accustomed he’ll get to it.”

Denis Phipps, the Reds’ 2011 minor league hitter of the year, hit a three-run homer in the fifth inning.

The Mariners scored five runs in the third against Brett Tomko, who agreed to a minor league deal last month. Two of the runs were unearned.

In the first inning, Reds left fielder Willie Harris lost a fly ball hit by Suzuki in the sun. The ball dropped in for a hit.

“Some of our young guys played well,” Reds manager Dusty Baker said. “The weather, the sun and the wind were wreaking havoc. That’s always the case here.”

NOTES: Mariners C Jesus Montero was sick but is expected back Wednesday. . Reds prospect Donald Lutz, who grew up in Germany, hit a solo home run in the eighth. … Mariners C Adam Moore, who likely will begin the season in the minors, hit a two-run double off the center-field wall in the fifth. He is coming back after a leg injury limited him last season. .Cincinnati’s Juan Francisco went 0 for 3 in his first spring at-bats. He had been out with a strained calf.

PEORIA, Ariz. – A marvelous big league career ended with dignity when Carlos Guillen, the veteran infielder in camp with the Seattle Mariners, announced his retirement Tuesday.

“Your body tells you, you know?” Guillen said in the Seattle clubhouse. “I’m going to go home.”

Bad knees, a strained calf injury that wouldn’t go away – Guillen didn’t play an inning this spring, including intrasquad games, and rarely was able to take batting practice. The last few days, he said, he’d been thinking hard about retirement.

Among the men he talked to Tuesday was M’s great Edgar Martinez, in camp to work with young hitters.

“I remember a lot of good things, the time I played here with Jay Buhner, Edgar, Ken Griffey Jr. and A-Rod,” Guillen said.

A 14-year veteran, Guillen was a Houston minor league player until traded to Seattle on 1998, sent to the Mariners with Freddy Garcia and John Halama for Randy Johnson. He played 488 games as a Mariner, then was traded to Detroit in 2004.

Guillen retires with a career .285 batting average. He was a three-time All-Star who’d hoped for one more season.

“It’s hard to get out of the game,” he said. “I’d like to help kids, help young players become better players and better people. What will I miss most? When a lot of people cheer for you, it means a lot. I enjoy being around other players, being in a clubhouse. This is going to be a big change.”

7 VIE FOR 3 SPOTS IN M’S ROTATION

There are seven candiates for the three spots in the rotation beyond Felix Hernandez and Jason Vargas – Hector Noesi, Hisashi Iwakuma, Blake Beavan, Kevin Millwood and rookies Dan Hultzen, Taijuan Walker and James Paxton.

Pitching coach Carl Willis has penciled out the rest of the spring schedule in Arizona with each of those pitchers getting plenty of work.

The most likely scenario is to send the rookies to the minors, Tacoma for Paxton and Walker, perhs Class AA for Hultzen. That would leave Seattle with three openings and four candidates.

Whatever the rotation pears to be on March 22, when the team flies to Jan, could change by March 31 – when Seattle returns to Arizona and plays five more exhibition games.

For now, Noesi and Iwakuma have a leg up on rotation slots, and Beavan and Millwood seem to be in a battle for the fifth spot.

PITCHING PRACTICE

Pitchers work on pitches during spring training, throwing them in counts and situations they might not if the games counted.

That doesn’t mean they accept the results.

Reliever Shawn Kelley entered Monday’s game with two runners on base – they belonged to Oliver Perez – and faced pinch hitter Jason Haggerty.

“I didn’t know the hitter and I was working on my changeup and left one up,” Kelley said. “When he hit it, I thought it was a fly ball that would get a run home – but this is Arizona.”

The ball banged off the wall in center field for a two-run triple.

“I got mad at myself,” Kelley said. “Yeah, you’re working on things, but I hate giving up someone else’s runs. I got mad and started pitching better.”

Kelley got two quick outs to strand Haggerty at third, then pitched a scoreless inning.

SHORT HOPS

The Mariners scored five runs in a mistake-marred third inning and got three shutout innings from Felix Hernandez in beating the Cincinnati Reds, 8-6. The win left the Mariners 4-1 in the Cactus League … Catcher Jesus Montero was back in camp a day after being sent home with flu-like symptoms, and participated in the morning workout. “I feel a little weak, but I’ll be ready to play (today),” Montero said. … Alex Liddi started at third base Tuesday – the first time he’d played third all spring. Liddi’s game time had come at first base and designated hitter. … Left-handed reliever Hong-Chih Kuo had another rough outing, allowing three runs in an inning. His spring earned run average: 18.00. … Ichiro Suzuki batting third seems to have put life back in his step – and his bat. After he went 3-for-3 with a pair of RBI Tuesday, Ichiro owns a spring average of .429. … On the catching depth chart, Adam Moore is fourth behind Miguel Olivo, John Jaso and Montero. Given a chance to play, however, Moore has hit: Two more hits Tuesday brought his spring average to .667.

ON T

The Seattle Mariners play the Los Angeles Angels in Tempe today, a noon (PST) game that will be broadcast on 710-AM. Probable starting pitchers: Blake Beavan vs. Jered Weaver.

larry.larue@thenewstribune.com blog.thenewstribune.com/mariners