Camp Hargrove under way

PEORIA, Ariz. – Bob Melvin chose to leave the veterans alone when he managed the Seattle Mariners, figuring they didn’t need a swift kick to inspire them to work at spring training.

Mike Hargrove, the Mariners’ new manager after Melvin was fired last year, is much the same way. But he won’t hesitate to instill some “motivation” when it’s needed, regardless of a player’s experience.

“You give a veteran player a little more leeway than you would a rookie player. They’ve earned that right,” Hargrove said Friday on the second day of spring training. “But all of us, I don’t think we ever work as hard as we think we’re working. There’s always more to be done and sometimes there are different and better ways to do it.”

Aaron Sele, a 12-year major league veteran who is trying to make the team as a minor league invitee, agrees with Hargrove’s approach.

“When you’ve been around the game, you have more of an idea of what you’re preparing for,” Sele said. “At the same time, I don’t care if you’ve never been to the major leagues or you’ve been here for 15 years, there’s always something to learn. That’s why it pays to keep your eyes and ears open, no matter how long you’ve been in the game.”

Hargrove has straightforward expectations of his players. He expects them to arrive on time, work hard and focus on the details of the game that often are the difference between winning and losing.

“I’ve found that paying attention to detail, being organized and getting good, hard work in a short amount of time tends to get people ready to do their jobs quicker and better,” Hargrove said.

He made that message clear this week when he spoke to pitchers and catchers before their first workout and he’ll repeat it, perhaps with greater emphasis, next week when the full squad gets together.

There are a few Mariners, he hinted without naming names, who will need to hear it.

“There are certain things about our veteran players that I’ve looked at that we’ll address and talk to them about,” he said. “Even though you may give more perks to a veteran player than a rookie player, everybody is still expected to do their jobs and work hard.”

Opening-day starter unclear

Hargrove has known who his opening-day starting pitcher would be at the beginning of spring training in most of his 13 years as a manager.

“But I wouldn’t tell anybody who it is until the end,” he said.

This year is a little different. Hargrove still isn’t saying who his starter will be April 4 when the M’s open against the Minnesota Twins, but there’s a reason.

“I honestly have no clue who the No. 1 guy is,” he said.

Joel Pineiro and Jamie Moyer are the likely candidates. The Twins already have announced that veteran right-hander Brad Radke will start the opener.

Feeling fine

Closer Eddie Guardado said his shoulder was a little sore, but he was pleased with how he felt one day after he threw from the bullpen mound for the first time in four months.

He was more enthused with how his left knee felt. He had surgery on the knee Aug. 23 to repair the meniscus.

Soriano still on mend

Pitcher Rafael Soriano began his seventh month of recovery from “Tommy John” elbow surgery. Soriano, who the M’s had hoped would become their key right-handed setup reliever, battled elbow problems all season in 2004 and underwent surgery on Aug. 17. He’s limited to playing catch and conditioning, and isn’t expected to throw from a mound for some time.