News
Saunders' power stroke coming around
Seattle (83-76) vs. Texas (86-73), 7:10 p.m. PT
By Jim Street / MLB.com
10/02/09 12:58 AM EST
OAKLAND -- For the first time since being promoted from Triple-A Tacoma, left-handed-hitting left fielder Michael Saunders is showing signs of power. He still has not hit a home run, but he's getting closer, and that could be a good sign for the Mariners. "You saw the ball he hit off the left-field wall in [St. Petersburg], and now you see him hit a ball off the wall in right," manager Don Wakamatsu said on Thursday night, referring to a pair of extra-base hits that missed by inches of being Saunders' first big league home runs. "You look at the body and try to project a lot of power. As he learns to use his legs a little bit more, you are going to start seeing the ball backspin a little more. I think he is going to have some power." Saunders, who hit 13 home runs in 64 games with Tacoma, has been working inside the batting cages with hitting coach Alan Cockrell. The Mariners need to improve their run production over the winter, and if Saunders can develop into a productive hitter with some punch, he could be in the running for full-time duty in left field. "The way Saunders has been swinging the bat," Wakamatsu said, "I want to get him in the Texas series a little bit. He has done a nice job." The Mariners and Rangers begin a season-ending three-game series at Safeco Field on Friday night with Seattle sending right-hander Ian Snell to the mound against Rangers right-hander Brandon McCarthy. Prior to the game, the local chapter of the Baseball Writers' Association of America will present its annual awards for Most Valuable Player, Pitcher and Unsung Hero, which are selected by the coaching staff. With the Rangers starting right-handers in all three games, chances are good that Saunders will get a good opportunity to take something positive into the offseason. He missed by a foot or so on Wednesday night of becoming the 23rd Mariners player to hit a home run this season. His drive to right field in the third inning had too much topspin and he wound up with a triple, his third three-bagger of the season. Later in the game, he turned on a 99-mph fastball from Athletics right-hander Henry Rodriguez and hit a sharp single to right field -- another sign that he can hold his own against a powerful arm. "To be able to turn on that and drive the ball like that is a good thing," Wakamatsu said. After taking seven games off to work on his swing with Cockrell, Saunders has responded, batting .304 in September. "This is almost like his second callup, where he didn't play for a while but spent a lot of time in the cage with Alan," Wakamatsu said. "You see it in his body language. He looks a lot more confident." With a winning season guaranteed, Wakamatsu will give the young players a chance to strut their stuff this weekend. "Playing the kids will give us more insight going into next year," he said. Pitching matchupSEA: RHP Ian Snell (7-10, 4.86 ERA)
In his last start, Snell continued his late-season surge, pitching well enough to win his sixth game since being acquired from the Pirates on July 29. He limited the Blue Jays to five hits and two runs over 6 2/3 innings, but the usually reliable bullpen could not protect the lead and Snell had to settle for a no-decision. Even so, he has shown improvement each time out of late, getting ahead of hitters. TEX: RHP Brandon McCarthy (7-4, 4.47 ERA)
McCarthy took a no-decision in Sunday's 7-6 loss to the Rays despite holding Tampa Bay to a pair of unearned runs in 7 2/3 innings of work. McCarthy is 4-2 with a 3.40 over his last eight starts to lower his ERA from 5.60 to 4.47. He had a good year against the American League East, finishing the year 2-0 with a 4.37 ERA over six starts. Tidbits
Catcher Kenji Johjima was held out of Thursday night's series finale against the Athletics, although his left elbow was feeling much better than it was the previous night when he got hit by a pitch. Johjima has a contusion on his left elbow and is tentatively scheduled to play on Saturday. Adam Moore figures to get the start in Friday's series opener as Rob Johnson is still nursing a sore left ankle. ... Ken Griffey Jr. must feel right at home at Safeco. He has hit 28 home runs in 96 career games there, averaging a home run every 11.5 at-bats in the "House that Griffey Built." . ... With his 40th double of the season on Wednesday night, Jose Lopez became the fifth player in franchise history in the 25-40 club -- home runs and doubles in the same season. ... Lopez could well become the first player since Bret Boone in 2004 to lead the Mariners with fewer than 100 RBIs. Boone led with 83. Starting with Griffey's 100-RBI season in 1991, the team leader in that department has reached triple digits in every season except the strike-shortened '94 season and in '04. Tickets
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• Saturday: Mariners (Ryan Rowland-Smith, 4-4, 3.91) vs. Rangers (Tommy Hunter, 9-5, 4.10), 6:10 p.m. PT
• Sunday: Mariners (Felix Hernandez, 18-5, 2.48) vs. Rangers (Scott Feldman, 17-7, 4.02), 1:10 p.m. PT
Jim Street is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
