The Associated Press
Seattle bench coach John McLaren has gotten a good look at manager Lou Piniella's coaching style. McLaren will fill in at spring training while Piniella leaves camp to visit his ailing father. McLaren is pictured holding Piniella back after the manager was ejected for arguing balls and strikes.

McLaren takes helm at M's camp

KIRBY ARNOLD, FOR THE OLYMPIAN

Originally published Tuesday, March 19, 2002

PEORIA, Ariz. -- Most of them have been in Arizona more than a month, getting ready for a baseball season that still is 13 days away.

Oh, do the Seattle Mariners need a day of rest.

They'll get it today on the team's only day off during spring training.

"I could use 10 days off," second baseman Bret Boone said.

When they come back Wednesday, bench coach John McLaren predicts it will be a much sharper bunch of Mariners who finish the exhibition season than the group that has plodded to an 8-12 record.

"I definitely think we've hit the wall a little bit," said McLaren, who has taken over the team while manager Lou Piniella stays with his sick father in Florida.

"We're a veteran ballclub and we've gone through this the past couple of springs. We're an adrenaline ballclub.

"I'm not making excuses for anybody, but the guys are doing their work. We've had some minor injuries and we've had to play some young guys quite a bit. Come the last 10 days, we'll start tightening the belt buckle a little bit and getting after it."

From a hitter's perspective, Boone says spring training gets monotonous about this time.

"The pitchers need more time to get their six, seven innings and I understand the time they need," Boone said. "But as hitters we don't usually need as much time. If you ask the hitters, we're ready to get it going soon."

- TOUGH BREAK: Outfielder Chris Snelling, who played impressively for the Mariners last week after being called up from the minor league camp, is out indefinitely with a broken right thumb.

Snelling was injured Saturday while making a diving catch in center field.

Initially it was ruled a light sprain, but X-rays on Monday showed a fracture.

A hand specialist, who should be able to determine if there's any ligament damage and estimate how long his recovery will take, will examine Snelling today in Arizona.

"They said it was a clean break," trainer Rick Griffin said. "The person who looked at him today said it was just a fractured thumb. But that's why we're sending him to a specialist, to rule anything out."

- KNOCKED AROUND: The walks, hits and runs don't reflect it, but starting pitcher Paul Abbott was fairly pleased with his performance Monday, when the Mariners lost 6-1 to the Colorado Rockies.

Abbott allowed five hits, five walks and three runs (two earned) in four innings. He originally was scheduled to pitch five innings but was lifted after four because his pitch count was high.

"I'm not worried about walks," said Abbott, whose exhibition ERA dropped from 7 to 6.90.

The Olympian Copyright 2002

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