Costner lacks arm to throw out Ichiro

KIRBY ARNOLD, FOR THE OLYMPIAN

Originally published Friday, March 29, 2002

PEORIA, Ariz. -- It didn't take Seattle's Ichiro Suzuki long to give actor Kevin Costner a taste of what an MVP is made of at the split-squad game Thursday in San Bernardino.

Suzuki led off the top of the first inning with a grounder to shortstop, where Costner was playing as part of a special appearance with the Class A Stampede.

Suzuki beat his throw for a hit.

- SPEED DEMON: Bench coach John McLaren pulled off the fastest exit of spring training when he needed just 23 minutes after Thursday's game to catch the bus that took remaining players to the airport for the flight to Portland.

After the final out at 2:52 p.m., McLaren bolted from the Mariners' dugout, out of the stadium and into the clubhouse, where he showered, shaved, dressed, talked to reporters and, finally, boarded the waiting bus. It pulled out at its scheduled 3:15 departure time.

- SPEED DEMON II: How fast is Luis Ugueto, the 23-year-old rookie who appears to have defied the odds and made the 25-man roster?

Mariners first base coach John Moses says he's easily as fast as Suzuki, Charles Gipson and Scott Podsednik.

"I'd like to see a four-lane race to first base with those guys," Moses said.

- BRING IT UP IN OCTOBER: Someone asked Lou Piniella if this year's Mariners are better suited for postseason play than last year's team that lost to the Yankees.

"I'm not worried about the Yankees," Piniella said. "I'm worried about the three teams in our division. Let's play the season without worrying about the postseason."

- WEEKEND ROTATION: Here are the pitching matchups for the last three exhibition games:

Today: Minor-league right-hander Clint Nageotte vs. San Diego right-hander Brian Lawrence in Portland.

- Saturday: Right-hander James Baldwin vs. San Diego right-hander Bobby Jones in Seattle.

- Sunday: Minor-league right-hander Brian Falkenborg vs. Los Angeles left-hander Kazuhisa Ishii in Seattle.

The Olympian Copyright 2002

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