Putz puts Mariners’ worries to rest
PEORIA, Ariz. – J.J. Putz has said for days that his right elbow felt fine. It wasn’t until Tuesday that he proved it.
The Seattle Mariners’ closer pitched one inning of a minor league game, allowing a run after a leadoff double on a wind-blown fly ball, in his first outing since March 5. More important than anything during that inning was what Putz felt afterward – nothing.
“The biggest thing was not having any discomfort out there,” Putz said. “Everything goes up a little bit intensity-wise when you get hitters in the box.”
Putz’s successful inning became one of the milestone moments of spring training, considering the upheaval of the relief staff that might have occurred if he was hurt seriously.
“My stomach finally turned right-side up,” M’s manager Mike Hargrove said. “Just that he came through healthy was real important.”
It had been 22 days since Putz faced hitters, having been shut down with a mild muscle strain in his elbow. He is scheduled to pitch an inning Friday night against the Chicago Cubs in Las Vegas, then be available for the season opener Monday at Safeco Field against the Oakland A’s.
“I don’t see it being a problem,” Putz said.
Pitching for Triple-A Tacoma against the Padres’ Triple-A Portland team, Putz threw 15 pitches, all but four of them fastballs that reached 93 mph, far less than his usual 98. Hargrove wasn’t concerned.
“His command was pretty good for as long as he’d been off, and probably the most important thing was that he felt good about it,” Hargrove said.
Pitching concerns
Early in spring training, it seemed the starting pitchers were feeding off each others’ success. In the final week before games, they’re getting hammered one by one.
Horacio Ramirez was the victim this time, giving up seven runs on 11 hits in six innings in a 9-8 loss to the San Francisco Giants. On Monday, Miguel Batista gave up six runs on 12 hits in six innings.
How concerning are 23 hits in the past 12 innings by the starters?
“Sometimes results are a little deceiving,” said Ramirez, who struggled in the first three innings, allowing five runs. “You look up and see 7-11, but a few of those hits were dinkers.”
Notes
Reliever Chris Reitsma put a lump in the Mariners’ throats during his outing when it looked like his arm was bothering him. Pitching coach Rafael Chaves and a trainer went to the mound, but Reitsma said he was fine and finished the inning. … George Sherrill, the left-handed reliever who has struggled much of the month, gave up a hit but got a double play and pitched a 1-2-3 eighth inning. … Shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt was scratched from the game against the Giants and played in a minor league game to work on his bunting. … The Mariners re-assigned right-handed pitcher Jorge Campillo to the minor league camp. Campillo pitched in five exhibitions, going 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA. … The morning after he was hit by a line drive, Mariners pitcher Miguel Batista said he still had a large mark on the right side of his chest. “It is a Rawlings tattoo,” he said. How painful was it? “It feels like I broke up with my sweetheart, like I have a broken heart.”