Piniella pondering Rookie of the Year picture

KIRBY ARNOLD, FOR THE OLYMPIAN

Originally published Sunday, April 7, 2002

SEATTLE -- The talk in the manager's office -- besides the crossword puzzle Lou Piniella needed help in completing -- swung briefly to the rookie of the year picture.

A couple of obvious names were dropped, Sean Burroughs of San Diego and Carlos Pena of the Athletics, before Piniella mentioned one of his own emphatically.

"We've got one who can hit right now up here," Piniella said. "If we had him up here I could make a good guess on who the rookie of the year would be."

That player? Chris Snelling, the outfielder from Australia who performed impressively at spring training before he broke his thumb.

"He would definitely be a candidate," Piniella said.

Piniella said during spring training that Snelling, who played for the Everett AquaSox in 1999, could be called up if an opening develops in left field.

Until then, Snelling will play at Double-A San Antonio after he recovers from the thumb injury. Mariners assistant general manager Roger Jongewaard said Snelling is about three weeks away from playing again.

- NEW DAY, NEW LINEUP: Piniella, in his effort to get everyone playing time before the end of the homestand, rolled out his fourth different starting lineup in five games Saturday, this one including Ruben Sierra for the first time. Sierra had been bothered by a sore leg most of spring training and Piniella was careful in using him in the cold weather early in the homestand.

Piniella also gave Desi Relaford his second straight start, this time at third base, and moved Jeff Cirillo from third to first base as John Olerud got the night off against left-handed pitcher Mark Mulder.

Cirillo has started six times in his career at first, the last on May 6, 1998, while he was with the Brewers.

After Sierra started Saturday, it left only Charles Gipson and Luis Ugueto as position players who haven't started.

- MECHE PITCHES: Right-hander Gil Meche, who missed all of last season after shoulder surgery, started Friday night's game for Double-A San Antonio. It was his first game since Aug. 27, 2000, when he made a rehab start with the Everett AquaSox.

On Friday, Meche allowed three hits and two runs in four innings, with one strikeout and four walks. He threw 77 pitches.

"That's a lot of pitches for four innings, but he's starting to build some arm strength," Piniella said.

- BEAT IT: Trainer Rick Griffin said he did the wise thing and went back to the dugout Friday after he approached the mound to check on pitcher James Baldwin.

Baldwin had been hit on the heel with a line drive in the fifth inning, but got to his feet and forcefully told Griffin he was OK. Griffin turned like a bull that was ready to charge.

"He had that look in his eyes," Griffin said. "He said, 'I'm all right and I don't need you.'"

The Olympian Copyright 2002

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