SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Erasmo Ramirez is not taking anything for granted even though he appears to have the inside track on returning to the Seattle Mariners’ rotation. Ramirez gave up two runs in six strong innings – ending his scoreless streak at six innings over three outings – and the Mariners beat the Colorado Rockies 5-2 Saturday.

PEORIA, Ariz. – Taijuan Walker can’t get the big head because that would mean more jokes about his hair. Felix Hernandez keeps the 20-year-old pitching prospect humble, using Walker’s new blonde look as fodder for comedy. Walker dyed his hair last month, and the playful pestering hasn’t stopped. King Felix even has used Walker’s locker to poke fun. He posted pictures of Dennis Rodman and Wesley Snipes’ old Simon Phoenix character in “Demolition Man” to show Walker what he looks like now. The kid can only look at the Mariners’ ace, grin and shake his head. “Felix!” he exclaims. “Always messing with me.” Of course, the hope is that this is a sign of chemistry developing between two players who could carry the M’s starting rotation soon.

PEORIA, Ariz. – Jack Zduriencik is a peculiar kind of impressive. He’s actually human, which qualifies as strange in a world of myth and hyperbole. Zduriencik, the Mariners’ general manager, has done a difficult job in a raw and real manner. You can evaluate him honestly, no smoke, no mirrors, all the good and bad splayed in front of him for all to see. He doesn’t always say what you want to hear. He doesn’t make the splashy free-agent acquisitions that you pray for, and he doesn’t make trades that send you into a playoffs-predicting frenzy. After four years and a 288-360 record during a meticulous rebuilding process, the first-time head honcho has had great and grating moments, experiencing the full range of this taxing life as a GM.

PEORIA, Ariz. – If John Hicks weren’t such a compelling Mariners prospect, he’d make a good Russell Wilson historian. Hicks doesn’t just know the Seahawks quarterback. He played youth baseball with him. He can tell you about Wilson at age 13, when the now-undersized star was the biggest kid on the team.

SURPRISE, Ariz. – Felix Hernandez waited almost two weeks to get in a game for the Seattle Mariners. The Kansas City Royals went just as long without a loss. Hernandez pitched two innings in his Cactus League debut and Stefen Romero had seven RBIs to help a Mariners split squad beat Kansas City 12-2 on Thursday, handing the Royals their first defeat this spring after 11 straight wins.

Jon Garland pitched for the first time in nearly 20 months, Franklin Gutierrez and Nick Franklin hit home runs and the Seattle Mariners won their sixth straight, beating the San Francisco Giants 4-3 on Thursday in Scottsdale, Ariz. Justin Smoak collected two more hits and drove in a run for the Mariners. Alex Liddi also drove in a run.