Pitcher After Pitcher

Just 22 games into the season, the Seattle Mariners might be leading the league in pitchers used - and they’re about to pad their lead.

When newly acquired reliever Steve Frey joins the team today in Detroit, he will become the 12th relief pitcher used this season as soon as he gets in a game. If Salomon Torres, a starting pitcher picked up from the San Francisco Giants, joins the rotation as expected within the next few weeks, he will become the eighth starting pitcher manager Lou Piniella has used this year.

And general manager Woody Woodward isn’t done looking for pitching, Piniella insists.

“We’ve got a couple other possibilities we’re pursuing,” Piniella said.

Injuries, ineffectiveness and the expanded roster of the first three weeks of the season have kept the Seattle staff a flexible group. In the first 20 games, the Mariners started Randy Johnson, Chris Bosio, Dave Fleming, Bob Wells, Tim Davis, Jim Converse and Tim Belcher.

In relief, Piniella has tried Bobby Ayala, Bill Risley, Jeff Nelson, Lee Guetterman, Ron Villone, Converse, John Cummings, Kevin King, Wells, Rafael Carmona and Fleming.

The results? In those 22 games, Mariners starters went 9-6 with a 3.58 earned-run average, and the bullpen was 2-4 with a 4.75 ERA and six saves.

“I’ve said it before, but our bullpen will really improve once our starting pitchers get deeper into the games,” Piniella said.

Not that it has that far to go.

“Our right-handers are the best in either league,” Bosio said. “You’ve got one guy (Nelson) who throws a nasty breaking ball, another (Ayala) who throws a wicked forkball and one (Risley) who throws pure heat. That’s a tough, tough mix.”

Frey will fit right in, Bosio said.

“He’s a left-hander with a good breaking pitch, the kind that gives left-handed hitters fits,” Bosio said. “From everything we hear, Villone is getting himself together. You put Frey and Villone on the staff - man, you’ve got balance right- and lefthanded.”

Notes

Shortstop Felix Fermin probably won’t come off the disabled list until the weekend, although he continues to take batting and fielding practice.

This is just the second stretch in club history in which the Mariners have been at or above .500 through the first 21 games of the year. In 1984, Seattle fell below .500 in the team’s 31st game.

When the Mariners start their homestand Tuesday, Northwest native Aaron Sele will start for Boston.

In his first 12 innings, Risley has yet to give up a run.

Old pals: Mariners third-base coach Sam Perlozzo and Twins manager Tom Kelly were minor-league roommates.

The two-homer game Saturday was the eighth in the career of Jay Buhner.

Edgar Martinez has hit safely in 17 of the 21 games in which he has played.

Joey Cora became the first Mariner to steal two bases this season when he stole second in the second inning.