March 19, 2010 in Sports

M’s veteran earns his ring

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Associated Press photo

Ken Griffey Jr., left, and Seattle parted ways with Michael Saunders, who was sent to Triple-A Tacoma.
(Full-size photo)

PEORIA, Ariz. – It took 42 years, but Andy Bottin finally has a ring to symbolize a championship.

The Seattle Mariners’ longtime minor league coach and manager received his reward Thursday morning during a ceremony in the outfield at Field 3 of the Mariners’ spring training complex.

Bottin managed the rookie-level Peoria Mariners to the Arizona League championship last summer. It’s the first title he has won of any kind – as a player, coach or manager – since he was an 18-year-old outfielder for the New York Yankees’ Class A team in Johnson City, Tenn.

They won the Appalachian League championship in 1967.

“We got a mug,” Bottin said. “My roomie then was Ron Bloomberg, and I can’t tell you exactly what he said, but basically he thought we should wear them around our necks.”

Thursday’s ceremony provided an even greater reward – the rings to Bottin, his coaches and the players – because it represented a group of youngsters who came together last summer and won their version of the World Series. Bottin also was named the Arizona League manager of the year.

“I watched these kids come together as a group and as a family, and we stress that a lot,” Bottin said.

Bottin is in his16th year in the Mariners’ system.

Rockies roll past M’s

A 9-2 loss to the Colorado Rockies on Thursday spun the Mariners to their fifth straight defeat, and they’ve been outscored 17-3 in their past two games.

Starting pitcher Ryan Rowland-Smith gave up five hits and two earned runs but reached 66 pitches in 22/3 innings before Wakamatsu pulled him.

Saunders among 3 cut

Michael Saunders’ chances of making the opening-day roster seemed slim, given not only the number of veteran outfielders the Mariners brought to spring training.

Thursday, the Mariners optioned Saunders to Triple-A Tacoma, where he’ll get what he needs most – regular at-bats. He batted .222 this month, going 4 for 18 with one home run, one double and one triple.

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