Mariners remove League from closer’s role
Brandon League is out of his job as Seattle Mariners closer, but it’s probably temporary.
If last year’s experience is an indication, “temporary” could be a short time span.
“We’re going to pull him back, give him some opportunities outside of that closing role and work to get him on track,” manager Eric Wedge said before Saturday’s M’s-Angels game. “Very similar to what we did last year.”
League (0-4, 4.43 ERA) has blown four saves this year, including three of his last five opportunities. His latest came Friday night in a 6-4 loss to the Angels.
Wedge didn’t name a replacement closer, saying, “We don’t feel that’s where we are with the guys we have in our bullpen right now.”
For the M’s, the shortfall with League is a double whammy. Not only have they blown games in the late innings, he’s considered one of their most likely commodities to be moved sometime before the July 31 trade deadline. But that value will obviously be diluted unless League can right himself.
His 2011 history would say he can do that. He had a horrific week in early May in Baltimore and Cleveland, becoming the first reliever in club history to be tagged with a loss in four consecutive appearances. He sustained three of the defeats that week in walk-off fashion.
Back then, Wedge adjusted his role briefly. League pitched in a non-save situation but by May 18 – just five days after blowing a save at Cleveland – he was back in the saddle, saving a victory for Jason Vargas.
League went on to play in the All-Star game, finishing with 37 saves and a 2.79 ERA.
The obvious candidate to replace League would be hard-throwing right-handed setup man TomWilhelmsen, but Wedge isn’t committing to anybody, and didn’t rule out a youngster – that would apparently include lefty Lucas Luetge – making a closer appearance if the situation is right.
Leach in the House
The Mariners welcomed new Washington State football coach Mike Leach and his teenage son Cody. Wedge met Leach and general manager Jack Zduriencik chatted extensively with Leach around the batting cage.
Leach said he was wowed by the unexpected opportunity to be on the field. Helping to arrange it was Mariners clubhouse assistant Jeff Bopp, a former colleague of WSU director of equipment operations Milton Neal, who accompanied Leach.
Clearing the bases
Alex Liddi wasn’t in the lineup after going 0 for 8 with six strikeouts in the first two games with the Angels. This came after his first career grand slam helped sink Texas in the finale of a three-game series Wednesday. … The M’s are awaiting an update on Franklin Gutierrez’s pregame running efforts. Gutierrez, out with plantar fasciitis, isn’t expected back for at least another few weeks. … Mariners starters entered Saturday’s game with a 5-2 record and a 2.27 ERA over their last nine outings. … Something has made Kyle Seager more selective. In his first 35 games, he walked only three times. But in his last seven, he has walked eight times, during which he has a .414 on-base percentage.