Rodney not planning on getting to mound in a rush

GOODYEAR, Ariz. –  Baseball’s most famous faux archer is pondering changes in his delivery. No, no new pitches. And certainly no plans to sprint to the mound from the bullpen in response to the new pace-of-play clock.

Mariners closer Fernando Rodney is adamant, in fact, that he won’t alter his deliberate pace in navigating his bullpen-to-mound stroll.

“I’m going to try (to follow the rule),” he said, “but I’m not going to come running in from the bullpen because a clock is on. No. Sometimes, you come into a one-run game. You need to be relaxed in your breathing.

“You can fine me, but I’m going to come in my normal time.”

But Rodney is reviewing his iconic arrow-shoot pantomime that punctuates each of his saves. It might – might –  have a new look this season. Maybe a little different styling. Maybe.

“I’m not sure,” he teased. “I’m going to look and see if it can get better.”

Rodney offered no hints Sunday when he made his spring debut by working around a two-out walk for a scoreless third inning in the Mariners’ 10-1 loss to the Cincinnati Reds.

Rodney keyed the Mariners’ bullpen renaissance a year ago after agreeing Feb. 13 to a two-year deal for $14 million. He then led the majors with 48 saves, which matched a career high and broke the club record.

His arrival stabilized the relief corps, which topped the majors with a 2.59 ERA. Pretty much the same unit a year earlier, without Rodney, posted a 4.58 ERA that ranked 29th among the 30 clubs.

“That’s the importance of having a closer,” manager Lloyd McClendon said. “It allows everybody else to fall into the slots they need to be in.

“The worst thing you can do to a bullpen is to put guys in positions where they’re not ready to succeed.”

And now? Is this baseball’s best bullpen?

“We have the talent, we have the pieces,” Rodney said, “and this year could be more exciting because they’ve got more experience. We’ve got a good bullpen, but I don’t like to say we’ve got the best.”

Rodney is within reach of a personal – and unprecedented – milestone. Since he also had 48 saves in 2012 while pitching for Tampa Bay, he is one of just six closers in history to reach that figure in multiple seasons.

The others are Eric Gagne (2002, 2003), Mariano Rivera (2001, 2004), Jim Johnson (2012, 2013), Rod Beck (1993, 1998) and Dennis Eckersley (1990, 1992).

No pitcher has ever done it three times.

Yet.

“Maybe I’ll have a chance,” he said. “I feel healthy, believe me.”

Reds 10, Mariners 1

The facts: Joe Saunders’ bid to win a bullpen job took on heavy water Sunday when he gave up six runs in the eighth inning.

Play of the game: Third baseman Kyle Seager flashed Gold Glove form by making a diving stop on Chris Dominguez’s two-out grounder in the first inning. Seager got to his feet and made a strong throw for the out.

Plus: Austin Jackson drove in the Mariners’ only run with an RBI double in the fourth inning. … Pat Kivlehan rebounded from a four-strikeout game Saturday by getting a double in his only at-bat. He is 4-for-11 overall. … Reliever Yoervis Medina worked a 1-2-3 fifth inning.

Minus: Danny Farquhar served up a homer to Jay Bruce in the fourth. Farquhar gave up two runs and three hits in two-thirds of an inning in his previous appearance.