News
Wakamatsu mulling fifth-starter options
Seattle (51-45) vs. Cleveland (39-58), 1:10 p.m. PT
By Christian Caple / MLB.com
07/25/09 1:37 AM ET
SEATTLE -- The time has finally come for Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu to decide on a fifth starter. Again. Ryan Rowland-Smith came up from Triple-A Tacoma and made the start on Friday, and Erik Bedard gets the ball on Saturday. But Sunday's starter is still up in the air -- as are Monday's and Tuesday's, because those spots will hinge on what Wakamatsu decides to do on Sunday against Cleveland. And because Garrett Olson has had a couple of rough starts in a row, he's likely headed to the bullpen, a role he's filled well this season. So now that fifth spot appears to be open again. Wakamatsu has a couple of options. Chris Jakubauskas is one of them. The right-hander has started eight games this season, and is always Seattle's go-to guy when long relief spots are needed. He's 5-6 with a 5.25 ERA, but has been pretty consistent in those extended relief outings out of the bullpen. Jason Vargas could just as easily claim the fifth spot in the rotation. He's in Triple-A Tacoma right now, as the Mariners chose to send him down before the All-Star break knowing they wouldn't need a fifth starter until July 25. Vargas was a staple in the Seattle rotation through the entire first half of the season, starting 11 games while compiling a 3-3 record and a 3.82 ERA. If Vargas becomes the fifth starter, that would give the Mariners four lefties in their rotation -- Vargas, Rowland-Smith, Bedard and Jarrod Washburn. Then there's Brandon Morrow, who has been steadily improving on his conversion from reliever to starter. Morrow is in Tacoma currently, where he has been since the Mariners sent him down before the All-Star break to get some extra work while they went with a four-man rotation. Morrow is 0-4 with a 5.28 ERA in six starts this year. If Olson is indeed headed to the bullpen -- something Wakamatsu more or less implied after Seattle's 9-7 loss to Detroit on Tuesday -- it would give the Mariners a left-hander in their relief corps for the first time this season. Wakamatsu said before Friday's game that he was waiting to see how much the Mariners had to use their bullpen before deciding on Sunday's starter. That would seem to imply that Jakubauskas could be the guy, since he's the only one of those options who is currently in the 'pen. Pitching matchupSEA: LHP Erik Bedard (5-2, 2.70 ERA)
Bedard received an extra day off from Wakamatsu and will be pitching on five days' rest. He has given up six earned runs in 14 1/3 innings since coming off the disabled list in early July after left shoulder inflammation. Bedard has actually been significantly better against right-handed batters this year than left (1.08 WHIP against righties and 1.38 WHIP versus lefties). He is 2-0 with a 3.55 ERA lifetime against Cleveland in eight starts, including a no-decision in his last start against Cleveland on Sunday. CLE: LHP Jeremy Sowers (2-7, 5.77 ERA)
The Indians will give Sowers yet another chance to prove he can be an effective starter at this level. Sowers, who will be promoted from Triple-A Columbus just two weeks after he was last sent down, has shown flashes this season, but he struggles as the game wears on. The opposition is hitting .196 off him the first time through the order, .244 the second time and .558 the third time. Sowers is 2-1 with a 2.52 ERA in four career starts against Seattle. Tidbits
Franklin Gutierrez was back in the lineup on Friday after missing the previous two games with left knee and elbow contusions. Gutierrez had to leave Tuesday's game against Detroit after crashing violently into the wall in center field. ... Ken Griffey Jr. was out of the lineup on Friday as the Mariners faced left-hander Aaron Laffey. Chris Shelton got the start at designated hitter. Seattle is scheduled to face lefties in its next four games. ... Rob Johnson has caught eight consecutive wins, and 16 of 19 since June 19. ... The Mariners have won 15 games when scoring three or fewer runs, the most in the American League. ... Rap artist Flo Rida was in attendance at Friday's game, and was on the field while the Mariners took batting practice. His music plays on the Safeco Field sound system when Ichiro Suzuki comes to the plate, and the rapper was wearing an Ichiro jersey. Tickets
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• Sunday: Mariners (TBD) vs. Indians (Cliff Lee, 6-9, 3.17), 1:10 p.m. PT
• Monday: Mariners (TBD) vs. Blue Jays (Ricky Romero, 8-4, 3.44), 7:10 p.m. PT
• Tuesday: Mariners (TBD) vs. Blue Jays (Marc Rzepczynski, 1-2, 2.82), 7:10 p.m. PT
Christian Caple is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
