Mariners notes: Lloyd McClendon says ‘my hope’ is Fernando Rodney reclaims closer’s role

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Fernando Rodney had just watched Carson Smith escape an eighth-inning jam Friday night when the phone rang in the Seattle Mariners’ bullpen.

The message: Rodney was to warm up in order to pitch the ninth inning in what would be his first save situation since he lost his closer’s job after blowing a June 2 lead against the New York Yankees.

So informed, Rodney asked, “Me? Are you sure about that?” He figured Smith, after a 10-pitch effort, would return for the ninth inning. Told, no, to get ready, Rodney responded, “Vamos! Let’s go.”

Rodney then worked around a one-out single in closing out a 3-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels for his 15th save in 18 chances. It was also his sixth straight scoreless outing.

The entire sequence raises a couple points:

• Is Rodney again the Mariners’ closer?

The short answer is not yet, at least not on a full-time basis.

“My hope,” manager Lloyd McClendon said, “is Rodney becomes that lock-down ninth-inning guy again. I think we’re a better club if he’s in the ninth, Carson is in the eighth and (Mark) Lowe and (Charlie) Furbush in the seventh. It closes the gap tremendously. That’s my hope. But I don’t know if that’s going to happen or when it’s going to happen. For right now, we’ll keep doing what we’re doing. We’ve got to win ballgames.”

• Why did McClendon opt to use Smith in the eighth inning with one out and nobody on base? Smith is 5-for-5 in save situations since replacing Rodney as the first option to protect ninth-inning leads.

“If you lose the game in the eighth,” McClendon said, “the ninth means nothing. I thought it was the best chance to preserve that lead.”

McClendon called on Smith to face Mike Trout and Albert Pujols, who were each hitless in four previous at-bats against him.

The strategy didn’t work as planned – Trout singled, and Pujols walked – but Smith wiggled free by getting Johnny Giavotella to ground into a double play.