Lou Pleased With First-Half Highlights
Not much of what has happened in the first half of the season has surprised manager Lou Piniella - at least not much that he’ll admit.
Asked to assess the Seattle Mariners as the All-Star break interrupts the season for three days, Piniella said he’s delighted with the team’s record and with an offense that leads the American League in runs and home runs.
“But we’ve got a lot of baseball to be played,” he cautioned. “That big lead we’ve got could disappear with one bad week.”
Surprises? Some.
“We had high expectations,” Piniella said. “To this point, we’re meeting most of them.”
Asked to single out a few first-half highlights, Piniella was happy to oblige:
“Joey Cora’s power has been a surprise. If you’d told me in spring training he’d have eight home runs at the break, four of them hitting right-handed, we’d have had to drink a few more margaritas to believe it.”
“Russ Davis has bounced back from some early adversity and is playing very well at third base.”
“Our three left-handed starters - Randy Johnson, Jeff Fassero and Jamie Moyer - have had superb first halves.”
“Kenny (Griffey Jr.) has put up big numbers, Edgar Martinez has quickened his pace, Jay Buhner has had some huge home runs and a lot of RBI, Paul Sorrento has done a very respectable job at first base and at the plate and Alex Rodriguez is having a very fine second season.”
“Jose Cruz Jr. has given us a lift from the minor leagues, hitting nine home runs in less than 30 games.”
“Bobby Ayala has stepped forward.”
What would he like to see change in the second half? Piniella leaned back in his chair and thought a moment.
“I’d like to see our defense play consistently better. We need help from Scott Sanders and Norm Charlton, and they’re both capable of giving it to us. We could use an experienced starting pitcher …” The bottom line?
“I’m well pleased with what this team has done the first half,” he said. “But no one in this clubhouse thinks it’s over. No one thinks we’ve done enough yet, because we haven’t.”
Notes
Former Seattle All-Star Mark Langston is on the disabled list after elbow surgery, but he’s headed to the All-Star festivities in Cleveland, anyway - as a guitarist. Langston occasionally sits in with a band and the group will play at a players union party on Monday. “I’d probably be less nervous if I were going there to pitch,” Langston said. … The home run Randy Johnson gave up Friday to first baseman Darin Erstad was just the seventh in his career he’d allowed to a left-handed hitter.
Coming up
The final game before the All-Star break pits the Mariners and Angels again in Anaheim Stadium at 5:05 p.m. and it will be televised on ESPN. Probable starting pitchers are Jeff Fassero (8-4, 3.87) vs. Chuck Finley (4-6, 5.36).