The May 2012 Seattle Mariners schedule has some tough games, including a three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays from May 1-3. The Mariners also have a three-game series in New York against the Yankees before heading to play the Boston Red Sox for two games.

The interleague schedule for the Mariners begins on May 18 with a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies on the road. Also noteworthy is that the Mariners have to play the Texas Rangers six times during the month of May, possibly dictating if the team remains in contention or gets pushed down the American League West standings.

Full May 2012 Seattle Mariners Schedule

Tuesday, May 1

Seattle at Tampa Bay, 4:10 p.m. PT (ROOT, SUN)

Wednesday, May 2

Seattle at Tampa Bay, 4:10 p.m. PT (ROOT, SUN)

Thursday, May 3

Seattle at Tampa Bay, 10:10 a.m. PT (ROOT, SUN)

Friday, May 4

Minnesota Twins at Seattle, 7:10 p.m. PT (FSNO, ROOT)

Saturday, May 5

Minnesota at Seattle, 6:10 p.m. PT (FSNO, ROOT)

Sunday, May 6

Minnesota at Seattle, 1:10 p.m. PT (FSNO, ROOT)

Monday, May 7

Detroit Tigers at Seattle, 7:10 p.m. PT (FSD, ROOT)

Tuesday, May 8

Detroit at Seattle, 7:10 p.m. PT (FSD, ROOT)

Wednesday, May 9

Detroit at Seattle, 7:10 p.m. PT (FSD, ROOT)

Friday, May 11

Seattle at New York Yankees, 4:05 p.m. PT (ROOT, YES)

Saturday, May 12

Seattle at New York, 1:05 p.m. PT (ROOT, YES)

Sunday, May 13

Seattle at New York, 10:05 a.m. PT (ROOT, YES)

Monday, May 14

Seattle at Boston, 4:10 p.m. PT (ROOT, NESN)

Tuesday, May 15

Seattle at Boston, 1:05 p.m. PT (ROOT, NESN)

Wednesday, May 16

Seattle at Cleveland Indians, 4:05 p.m. PT (ROOT, STO)

Thursday, May 17

Seattle at Cleveland, 9:05 a.m. PT (ROOT, STO)

Friday, May 18

Seattle at Colorado, 5:40 p.m. PT (ROOT)

Saturday, May 19

Seattle at Colorado, 1:10 p.m. PT (ROOT)

Sunday, May 20

Seattle at Colorado, 12:10 p.m. PT (ROOT)

Monday, May 21

Texas at Seattle, 7:10 p.m. PT (FSH, ROOT)

Tuesday, May 22

Texas at Seattle, 7:10 p.m. PT (FSH, ROOT)

Wednesday, May 23

Texas at Seattle, 12:40 p.m. PT (FSH, ROOT)

Thursday, May 24

Los Angeles Angels at Seattle, 7:10 p.m. PT (FSW, ROOT)

Friday, May 25

Los Angeles at Seattle, 7:10 p.m. PT (FSW, ROOT)

Saturday, May 26

Los Angeles at Seattle, 4:15 p.m. PT (FOX)

Sunday, May 27

Los Angeles at Seattle, 1:10 p.m. PT (FSW, ROOT)

Monday, May 28

Seattle at Texas, 5:05 p.m. PT (ROOT, FSH)

Tuesday, May 29

Seattle at Texas, 5:05 p.m. PT (ROOT, FSH)

Wednesday, May 30

Seattle at Texas, 5:05 p.m. PT (ROOT, FSH)

Source:

Mariners Team Page

SEATTLE — During his first season on the reclamation project of the Seattle Mariners, Eric Wedge knew he couldn’t sn with frustration or dispointment even when it probably was warranted.

Biting his lip became part of what Wedge decided he needed to in his first year with a new organization, especially with a roster that included so much youth and inexperience as Seattle’s 67-95 season played out.

Year 2, there won’t be any holding back in what Wedge expects out of his players.

“No one’s going to take away what we’ve already established here. But ultimately, it is a different message this year. It’s about expectations,” the manager said. “It’s not just about breaking kids in, although we’re probably going to do some of that this year. Not as much as last year. It’s about expectations, performance and production. Performance and production lead to wins.”

For Wedge, those increased expectations are strictly pointed at the Mariners offense. A year ago, it was among the worst in baseball history since the implementation of the designated hitter. If the Mariners are to improve, the hitters have to do better.

The pitching staff is solid, led by ace Felix Hernandez. Even with an offseason trade that sent All-Star Michael Pineda to the New York Yankees, the arms are OK. But ultimately it’s the offense where the majority of Seattle’s questions lie after the team hit just .233 and scored a mere 556 runs, by far the lowest total in the American League.

—Can Ichiro Suzuki successfully make the transition from being one of the best leadoff hitters in recent history to batting third, where his sl-hitting style of the past won’t fly?

—Will Chone Figgins finally prove worthy of the $36 million, four-year deal he signed before the 2010 season? He’ll try to restart his career with another opportunity as an everyday player, and he’ll get the initial shot at taking over the leadoff spot.

—Are Dustin Ackley and Mike Carp able to carry their impressive debuts from 2011 into their sophomore campaigns?

—And will Jesus Montero, the centerpiece of the January trade with the Yankees, handle the expectations of being the Seattle’s power-hitting offensive savior despite just a handful of major league games?

PEORIA, Ariz. () Hector Noesi remains on track for a slot in the Seattle Mariners‘ starting rotation.

Noesi allowed two runs over four innings before rain canceled Seattle’s game against a Colorado Rockies‘ split squad Sunday with the Mariners ahead 3-2 in the top of the fifth.

”I think I’m doing good this spring,” said Noesi, acquired from the Yankees along with catcher Jesus Montero in the trade that sent pitcher Michael Pineda to New York. ”I learn about everything every time I go out there. Just my mechanics were a little open.”

In his third spring-training start, Noesi threw two wild pitches, walked two and allowed four hits. Colorado had runners at the corners with no outs when rain and hail caused a 34-minute delay, then cancellation.

Rockies right-hander Tyler Chatwood allowed three runs, seven hits and three walks with three strikeouts in 3 2-3 innings. None of the spring training stats count because of the rainout.

”Toward the end I got a little gassed and got a little ahead of myself instead of just staying within myself and trusting my stuff,” said Chatwood, who is competing for the fifth spot in the Rockies’ starting rotation.

Kyle Seager tied the score at 2 with his third home run of spring training, a two-run drive in the fourth.

Chone Figgins had two hits for Seattle, the second a run-scoring single off Chatwood. Figgins made his third start of the spring at shortstop and has also played second base, third base and center field as the Mariners look for a position for a veteran who has struggled for much of his time in Seattle.

”He’s had a lot of hard outs this spring,” Mariners manager Eric Wedge said. ”He enjoys playing. I don’t think he’s really too concerned about where he’s playing, he just enjoys playing and it really helps us out, the fact that he is that versatile.”

Colorado’s Eric Young Jr. doubled and scored on Tim Wheeler’s sacrifice fly in the first inning and a pair of Noesi wild pitches allowed Jordan Pacheco to score after a walk.

NOTES: The Mariners were without SS Brendan Ryan (quadriceps) for a third straight game. Ryan could return to action at shortstop as soon as Monday, Wedge said. … The seven Mariners relievers who were scheduled to pitch Sunday but didn’t get in the game are to throw in a minor league game or a bullpen session Monday. … Montero was unavailable due to illness but is expected to be in the lineup at designated hitter Monday. … The Rockies were to have sent a split squad to Tucson to play the San Diego Padres on Sunday, but due to weather concerns that game was postponed to Thursday afternoon, also in Tucson.

The first thing you notice about Jesus Montero isn’t his impressive physique, though at a chiseled 6 feet 3 and 235 pounds, that’s pretty hard to ignore.

It isn’t necessarily his powerful swing, either, even when he’s mistreating a baseball over and over in batting practice and swatting them over the fence.

And it isn’t all the extra attention he’s getting this spring from his new coaches with the Seattle Mariners or from the thousands of fans who have flocked to the Peoria Sports Complex to catch a glimpse of the slugging young catcher.

It’s his number.

“Yeah, 63,” Montero says with a “so-what” shrug of his shoulders.

Well, numbers that high usually go straight to the nameless minor-leaguers in camp, not to a top-notch hitting prospect.

“It was the number the Yankees gave me when I got to the big leagues,” Montero, 22, said. “I hit my first homer with that number. And I plan to stay with it.”

The Yankees didn’t want to trade Montero to the Mariners, but they desperately needed starting pitching help. When they learned Seattle’s young right-handed All-Star, Michael Pineda, was available, they felt they had no choice but to close the deal.

“He may very well be the best player I’ve traded,” Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman said of Montero in January during a conference call after the trade. “He’s that good. He’s a middle-of-the-lineup type bat.”

The trade, which also sent right-hander Hector Noesi to Seattle and pitching prospect Jorge Campos to New York, could alter the balance of both clubs for the next several years.

“It was about two teams trading for need,” Mariners General Manager Jack Zduriencik told reporters. “Time will tell how it works out, but I feel very good having Jesus Montero in our organization.”

The Venezuelan-born Montero played in 18 games for the Yankees last season as a rookie, mostly as the designated hitter, and hit .328 with four home runs and 12RBIs.

With Jorge Posada’s career winding to a close, Montero thought he’d eventually supplant Russell Martin and become the Yankees’ long-term backstop.

“I was in shock,” he said of the trade. “I thought that was never going to hpen, but it hpened for real.

“I’m really hpy over here (with Seattle). It’s a new opportunity, and I’ve got to take advantage of it.”

There aren’t concerns about his hitting, but there are questions as to whether Montero can be an effective, everyday catcher at the major-league level.

When the Mariners break camp at the end of the month, veteran Miguel Olivo, 33, is expected to be the starting catcher. Montero likely will get his at-bats at DH while catching a couple of times per week.

“We feel like he’s very cable of being an everyday catcher,” manager Eric Wedge said. “We’re fortunate now with Miguel Olivo that we don’t need him to be an everyday catcher this year. We’ve got plenty of time to take it slow with him and help him continue to work toward that.”

Even if he doesn’t catch, Montero can help the Mariners with his bat. Seattle finished last in the majors each of the past two seasons in runs scored, and Montero is sure to drive in his fair share.

“He’s got a good proach up there,” Wedge said. “He works hard to stay up the middle and go the other way. He picks his spots. … He has a pretty good idea for a young man what he’s trying to do.”