The Associated Press
The Milwaukee Brewers' Geoff Jenkins (left) is out at second as the Mariners' Desi Relaford turns a double play on Saturday.

M's hurlers still nursing old injuries

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Originally published Sunday, March 24, 2002

PEORIA, Ariz. -- Ryan Anderson, a 6-foot-10 left-hander whose fastball has been clocked at 101 mph, has had his second shoulder operation in two springs.

Gil Meche, another top Seattle Mariners' pitching prospect, is trying to come back after being sidelined for a year and a half by two shoulder surgeries.

"Hopefully, next year I'll be able to come in healthy," said Anderson, who was the Mariners' first-round draft pick in 1997.

"I need to get some good innings in this year," said Meche, a right-hander who is a year older than Anderson at 23.

The Mariners feel Anderson's and Meche's pain. They had hoped both would be established starters in their rotation by now.

Meche, their first-round choice in 1996, showed outstanding promise when he made a total of 30 starts for the Mariners. Anderson was close to the major leagues at Triple-A Tacoma in 2000.

"They're two premium prospects in major league baseball," Mariners pitching coach Bryan Price said. "Not just for us. But anybody."

Right-hander Paul Abbott, a 17-game winner for the Mariners last season at 33, had ligament replacement surgery in his elbow when he was 29. He and Price agree that Anderson and Meche can be 100 percent again.

"They're young and they're strong and they're healthy," he said. "Injuries are part of the game."

Abbott also has overcome a major knee injury in coming back to go 35-14 from 1998-2001 with Seattle.

"It's never fun having an injury," Abbott said. "You're never going to feel right coming back from an injury. That's the hardest part. You say, 'Gosh, I had surgery. Why don't I feel like I did before? Why don't I feel 100 percent?' That may never happen. But you've got to put that aside and keep going on."

- RELAFORD GOES DEEP: Desi Relaford's solo home run in the eighth inning helped the Seattle Mariners beat the Milwaukee Brewers 5-4 on Saturday in Phoenix.

Relaford's homer, which came on the first pitch from Takahito Nomura, snapped a 4-4 tie. Nomura (1-1) had not given up a run in his first six appearances.

Mike Cameron hit his third home run of the spring for the Mariners. He was 3-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBIs.

The Olympian Copyright 2002

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