Diaz Provides M’S Speedy Option
One of the most powerful lineups in baseball is about to inject itself with speed - but you’d better look quick or you might miss it.
Outfielder Alex Diaz, a sparkplug much of last season, comes off the 60-day disabled list today and manager Lou Piniella is contemplating putting both Diaz and Rich Amaral in the Seattle lineup.
“Without Edgar (Martinez), we’re not going to get power from the (designated hitter) spot, so why not go for speed?” said Piniella.
Although Piniella has been known to change his mind faster than Amaral or Diaz can run, his thinking Saturday was to use Diaz and Amaral in the outfield and alternately “rest” Jay Buhner and Ken Griffey Jr. in the DH spot.
“It’s getting late in the year, and we’ve got two days off in August,” said Piniella. “Letting them DH isn’t a day off, but it’s a break and it keeps their bats in the lineup.”
As for Diaz and Amaral, Piniella may turn them loose on the base-paths and try to steal runs that Martinez might produce with one swing. The key to the longevity of this plan is Diaz getting on base. In 20 games this season before he needed ankle surgery, Diaz batted .212 - .191 hitting left-handed.
“Diaz can play defense, but he’s got to show he can hit to stay in the lineup,” said Piniella. “But if the people we put into the game until we get Edgar back are mostly singles hitters, why not go with one who can get a single and then steal a base?”
Notes
To make room for Diaz on the roster, the club optioned rookie right-hander Matt Wagner (3-3, 6.40 ERA) to Triple-A Tacoma. … With 53 games remaining, Ken Griffey Jr. and Jay Buhner have already posted two of the best homer seasons in club history. Griffey’s 34 homers is the fourth-highest by a Mariner and Buhner’s 30 ranks him seventh on the all-time single-season list. Griffey and Buhner already own the top three marks - Junior with 45 and 40 homer seasons, Buhner adding 40 last year.
Ex-Mariner John Cummings, acquired from Los Angeles in a trade of Chad Curtis, is with Detroit - though temporarily. Detroit wants to send him to Triple-A and has put him on waivers. If he clears, he’ll be pitching in Toledo next week. … Sterling Hitchcock will miss one full turn through the rotation, resting a variety of minor ailments - sore shoulder, sore elbow, sore ankle - and won’t pitch again until Saturday against Minnesota.
Coming up
Seattle completes this seven-game trip today with a 10:15 a.m. start against Detroit to be televised on Prime Sports. Bob Wolcott (6-8, 5.38) will pitch against C.J. Nitkowski (2-2, 7.76).