Pitcher hopes to use rest of season to prepare for 2005
By Jim Street / MLB.com
SEATTLE -- A bullpen that has been used sparingly the past few days received another fresh arm Thursday, when right-hander Julio Mateo was activated from the 15-day disabled list.
He had been sidelined since July 28 with right elbow tendinitis.
Julio Mateo / P
Born: 08/22/79
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 175 lbs
Bats: R / Throws: R
"It seems like a long time since I pitched," Mateo said. "It was really hard on me because I had never been on the disabled list before. I am used to pitching every day or almost every day."
The game plan is to ease him back into action the remainder of this season and make sure he's ready to compete for a spot in the bullpen next season. And for the firs time in five years, he won't pitch any winter ball in his native Dominican Republic.
"They [management] already told me to rest and that it would be better for my arm," he said.
Mateo said he would remain in Seattle until mid-October, spend about a month in the Dominican and then return to the Northwest in November to get himself ready for Spring Training.
As for his objectives the remainder of this season, he said, "I will just try to keep my arm in shape and not do anything to get hurt again. I want to make sure my arm is OK."
Mateo has suffered through a difficult second big league season, posting a 1-2 record and 5.05 ERA in 40 relief appearances. That was a far cry from last year's rookie season, when he had a 4-0 record and 3.15 ERA in 50 appearances.
He did so well that the coaching staff selected him as the team's "Unsung Hero."
But Mateo has been mostly unseen the second half of the season.
"He gives us another veteran out there," manager Bob Melvin said. "We try to give these guys 'soft landings' when they come back, but that doesn't always work. We'd like to have him start an inning when the game isn't tied or we're one run ahead or behind."
Adding Mateo to the bullpen gives the Mariners nine relievers for the stretch run.
But the way the Mariners starting pitchers have performed the past few days, there hasn't been much work for the other eight relievers.
Left-hander Bobby Madritsch has pitched at least eight innings in three of his last four starts, right-hander Gil Meche tossed a shutout in his last start and went seven innings the previous outing, and right-hander Ryan Franklin blanked the Angels on two hits in a nine-inning masterpiece Wednesday night at Safeco Field.
"We'd like to see Jamie [Moyer] follow suit," said Melvin of Thursday night's starter. "Sometimes when guys start doing that, they feed off each other."
Clint Nageotte / P
Born: 10/25/80
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 200 lbs
Bats: R / Throws: R
Headin' south: Pitchers Clint Nageotte and George Sherrill leave Friday morning for Arizona, where they will continue daily conditioning at the Mariners' Spring Training complex in Peoria.
Nageotte, who had 1-6 record and 7.36 ERA in 12 appearances (five starts), has been sidelined with soreness in his lower back. Once he is healthy, he'll resume pitching for Lara of the Venezuela winter league.
Melvin said Thursday that left-hander Matt Thornton and third baseman Justin Leone also are scheduled to play winter ball in Venezuela.
Sherrill, meanwhile, needs to get into better physical condition and his next meaningful pitch will be thrown during Spring Training. He had a 2-1 record and 3.80 ERA in 21 relief appearances for the Mariners after spending the first half of the season with Triple-A Tacoma.
Still up in the air: The game time for the Oct. 2 home game against the Rangers remains undetermined, pending FOX's decision to carry the game as part of its national package. If FOX carries the game, it will start at 1:05 p.m. PT. If not, the game will start at 5:30 p.m. PT. FOX officials have until Sept. 27 to make a decision, so stay tuned and hold off on those barbeque plans.
Jim Street is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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Julio Mateo / P
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