Mariners get a makeover

DETROIT – Scott Spiezio walked into the Seattle Mariners’ clubhouse after spending a day with his family, glanced around and shook his head.

“What’s happened here?” he asked a writer. A few player moves, he was told. “Am I one of them?” Spiezio joked.

Not yet.

In the span of less than 48 hours, the Mariners turned over seven spots on their 25-man roster – and they’re probably not done yet.

Gone in that span were traded players like Randy Winn, Ron Villone and Miguel Olivo. Jeff Nelson left the team on a bereavement leave that will last until Friday. Ryan Franklin was given a 10-day suspension for violating baseball’s anti-drug policy. Aaron Sele was released. A player obtained in one trade, Miguel Ojeda, joined Seattle on Sunday and was sent to the minors.

In their places, the M’s have brought up Jeff Harris, Jorge Campillo, Felix Hernandez, Jamal Strong, George Sherrill and Masao Kida, and added catcher Yorvit Torrealba via the Winn trade.

Before Tuesday’s game, someone kidded longtime broadcaster Dave Niehaus he was going to need a program. So did a few Mariners veterans.

The moves aren’t finished. Campillo started Tuesday’s game for ailing Jamie Moyer, who’s had back spasms for the past few days – but Campillo left the game after one inning with a strained right elbow. He almost certainly will have to be replaced on the roster.

Tacoma outfielder Chris Snelling will soon join the team, replacing either Strong or Spiezio.

Veterans on the team flight from Seattle to Detroit Monday said it was an odd experience – a midseason trip in which it seemed half the team had turned over.

“There were a lot of Tacoma guys on the plane,” rookie right-hander Harris said. “You could tell we were in the big leagues – the plane had leather seats, and televisions and ladies who’d come down the aisle with food.”

Did the 31-year-old partake?

“I was too nervous to eat,” Harris said. “Toward the end of the flight, I had a little pudding.”

Ah, rookies.

Then there was Torrealba, the 27-year-old backup catcher with the Giants who figures to share playing time with Wiki Gonzalez.

“I haven’t caught any of the pitchers here, but I batted against Felix (Hernandez) in winter ball,” Torrealba said. “He throws hard. I’m hoping to play more here than I did with San Francisco, and I’m excited about that.”

Hernandez, meanwhile, played the role of the wide-eyed kid – fitting, since Tuesday was the 19-year-old’s first day in the major leagues. Did he like Comerica Park?

“It’s looks good,” he said. “All big-league parks look good.”

He’ll make his first appearance on Thursday, when he starts against Detroit.