Hargrove proves point to slackers

PEORIA, Ariz. – On the scale of managerial blowups, the Seattle Mariners have experienced the intensity of Lou Piniella and the mildness of Bob Melvin.

This week, they’ve received a taste of Mike Hargrove.

Friday, the Mariners were stumbling their way through the early stages of a popup drill when Hargrove decided a few “reminders” were in order.

“I didn’t really chew them out,” said Hargrove, in his first spring training camp as the Mariners’ manager. “I just sternly warned them that if they screw this up during the season, they’re going to trace it right back to here.”

Hargrove is getting his message across that half-hearted effort isn’t acceptable, even in the relaxed confines of spring training.

While he hasn’t reached the all-out rage that Piniella would display, the Mariners are learning loud and clear that this is a different camp than Melvin ran the past two years.

“We all need some encouragement, a kick in the butt,” catcher Dan Wilson said.

Hargrove demands concentration. He demands effort. When he doesn’t get them, he talks with the offenders.

“He makes it clear how he wants his drills done,” Wilson said. “We’re here to prepare to win, and he lets us know. When you pay attention to the little things early, it makes a big difference late.”

That’s especially important on a team with considerable youth, such as this year’s Mariners. Superstars aren’t exempt, either, and for that reason Adrian Beltre can expect a visit from Hargrove.

During the popup drill, Beltre grabbed nearly every ball with a basket catch. Asked if that’s how Beltre catches every popup, Hargrove shrugged.

“That was a matter of (someone) going through the motions,” said Hargrove.

To the players’ credit, Hargrove said the popup drill often is one that creates the biggest problems early in spring training. It’s a drill that mandates communication at a time when many players still don’t know each others’ names.

“It’s hard to be really demonstrative right off the bat,” Hargrove said. “The more these guys become familiar with each other, the easier it will be for them. The longer we ran it, it got better and better.”

Hargrove’s flareup was nothing compared with one earlier in the week.

Three days ago, as the Mariners gathered to stretch before their workout, Hargrove saw something that set him off. Many of the players were treating the stretch time like a social gathering, and Hargrove immediately put a stop to the chit-chat.

“It sounded like a bunch of chickens in there,” he said. “Some guys were three stretches behind, some guys weren’t even stretching. So, I got their attention.”

He can dish out a lot more what he gave them that day, Hargrove said.

“That was kind of a low-key chewing,” he said. “It’s tough to really get into them with all those (fans) standing around. There were little kids there.

“On a scale of one to 10, that was probably only a six. I can get a lot better. But if I’m going to rupture a blood vessel, I’m going to wait for a good time.”

Hargrove detests seeing players stand around during practice, and he has altered the Mariners’ workout schedule to avoid the idle time that leads to a lack of intensity. For the first time, the M’s are practicing on the four-field cloverleaf at the west end of their training complex, weather permitting.

“I think baseball practices are inherently boring, and the more you can do to counteract that the better,” Hargrove said. “That’s why I like to use the cloverleaf, especially early in camp. It keeps people moving.”

As long as they’re moving, and focused, he has no problem.