So far, so good for closer Guardado after first day
PEORIA, Ariz. – Eddie Guardado stepped onto the rubber like it was the ninth inning of a close game in July.
He squeezed the rosin bag and spiked it so hard to the ground that a white cloud mushroomed around his feet. He spit into his glove and rubbed it, then he slammed the baseball into the glove and delivered a pitch to catcher Dan Wilson.
It was only a 30-pitch session in the bullpen – all fastballs and changeups – on the first day of spring training Thursday. But to Guardado, it was huge step forward on his first trip back to the mound since October.
Guardado, the Mariners’ all-important closer, missed the second half of last season with a torn rotator cuff and is trying to come back after deciding to shun surgery that one doctor recommended.
So far, the shoulder is fine. The last five pitches he threw Thursday had some adrenaline behind them.
“I was pretty excited,” he said. “That was my first time throwing off the mound since I left here from instructional league (in October). “The big question is how I feel tomorrow. I know I’m going to be a little sore because I hadn’t thrown off the mound before, but being sore and hurt are two different feelings.”
When Guardado feels this good, so do the Mariners.
His health could mean the difference between a stout bullpen and one that may force the team to juggle roles.
Besides the shoulder injury, Guardado played last year with a knee problem that was fixed with surgery.
“I feel like a new man,” he said. “My knee feels good and my shoulder feels good. The big question is when games start and I start pushing it more, and seeing how I feel the next day.”
New pitcher
The Mariners acquired the rights to pitcher Jorge Campillo of the Mexico City Tigres and hope to have him working out in Peoria soon. He must deal with visa issues before he’s allowed to come here and sign a contract.
Campillo, a 26-year-old right-hander, is a curveball-changeup pitcher who the M’s would like to see compete for a spot at the back end of the starting rotation.
Campillo has pitched eight years in the Mexican League, with a 45-29 record and a 4.59 career ERA.
He’ll be placed on the 40-man roster.