Mariner Matters | 3.26

.


How cool is it that these two are now BOTH in Mariner blue?!?!?
And, from all accounts, not only are they going to get along splendidly, but there has been a strong and significant shift in attitude in the clubhouse AND on the field...

News Tribune...

“When you go to sleep at night, you still hear Junior and (Mike) Sweeney,” pitcher Brandon Morrow said, laughing. “You can hear them no matter what practice field you’re on. You always hear them in the clubhouse and in the dugout. You always know where they are. It’s awesome.”

There’s a far more important difference in camp than sound level. Wakamatsu and his all-new staff have done more than work on fundamentals in practice this spring – they’ve pushed those fundamentals into the Seattle playbook.

The Mariners have bunted runners along, and bunted for base hits. They’ve used hit-and-run plays, squeeze bunts and straight steals, and not just with the No. 9 hitter.

First baseman Russell Branyan has two stolen bases.

Veterans such as Jarrod Washburn see a profound change in the way this team plays the game.

“When a team can play small ball, it puts pressure on the opposing pitching staff, not just their infield,” Washburn said. “If you’re pitching against a team with more than one dimension, a team you know can manufacture runs, it’s a far tougher team to stop. You give up a leadoff double, for instance, and they’re liable to score a run that inning with nothing more than outs.

“It’s more fun to play for a team that has that kind of game.”

TONY GUTIERREZ / AP

Then there was this interesting little tidbit from Shannon's blog...

Ichiro met with us in the clubhouse in the 7th inning of the game. The questions to start out were about returning to the team, the WBC experience, and the atmosphere. He was asked about the bad clubhouse situation last year and told us that he didn't want to talk about it.

"I think you are more of an expert, next question."

Later in the interview, Ichiro was told of what JJ Putz told Larry Stone earlier this spring about not thinking that Ichiro did everything he could to help the team win. As Ichiro asked for clarification, I saw a figure out of the corner of my eye start to walk in behind and around the media group listening closely.

Junior.

The reporter pressed on and Ichiro continued to question the question through translator Ken Barron.

Noises of disgust could be heard behind us.

"Could you give me specific answers of what I was supposed to do?" Barron said for Ichiro.

"What is he trying to get too? I swear to God! That was last year, come on!" Junior said quietly of the line of questioning.

While he was disruptive to the interview process, and for the record, I do not think the subject should have been pushed at this time, if at all, I was happy to see what he did. He was being a good teammate. He was looking out for Ichiro.

It is an old clubhouse technique. If the heat is being turned up on a player, perhaps too much, another player will stand behind the media group and say something about it, usually under his breath. It is always pointed, sometimes it is obnoxious, sometimes it is called for, sometimes it is somewhere in between.

On Ichiro's first day back it was a strong signal, not to us the media, but to Ichiro that Jr had his back. When was the last time he felt that in this clubhouse?

The flipside is, I do believe that if Jr. sees something he doesn't like in Ichiro's behavior or play, he will let him know. In private. This is the way these things should work.

I believe there is a good chance that Ichiro will at least listen. He (who normally refuses to talk about other players) spoke of Griffey with complete reverence.

"It's been ten years now since I practiced with him for the first time together here in Peoria. He is the exact same guy now as he was back then and that makes me very happy. Just like 10 years ago he is like a kid. His personality, his character, something about it, he has the ability to change the atmosphere. And also today, when I was on second base he came up to bat and that view of watching him in the batters box from second base was a view I really enjoyed."

Yes indeed, this season could prove to be always interesting, sometimes delightful, hopefully fun!

:-)