Young pitchers prepare for first B game

PEORIA, Ariz. – They have thrown in the bullpen for two weeks, trying to muster the adrenaline that comes from pitching in a game.

Today, the Seattle Mariners play a B game against the San Diego Padres and, even though it’s on a practice field at the Padres’ side of the spring training complex, adrenaline could flow too freely for some.

Young pitchers such as Nate Bland, Rick Guttormson, Jon Huber and Jared Thomas will each work an inning, and pitching coach Bryan Price expects there to be some nerves.

“There’s a bit of anxiety that everybody has, regardless if it’s a B game, an A game, a minor league game or a major league game,” Price said. “I’ve seen a lot of guys go out there and melt down a little bit, then come back and throw very well when they get to the A game. They have a chance to assess what they did and adjust. Some adjust and some don’t.”

The Mariners will open the game with two members of their starting rotation, Gil Meche and Bobby Madritsch, and finish with more inexperienced hurlers.

“It’s an opportunity to get your feet wet,” Price said. “The advantage of the B games is a chance to see hitters before going into the stadium. We slowly increase the distractions over the course of spring training, from throwing bullpens to throwing batting practice to the B games and then into the A games.”

Price said he is particularly eager to see Jorge Campillo, the Mexican League veteran who is trying to make the starting rotation, plus Bland and Guttormson.

“I haven’t had a chance to form an opinion on them of outside of the bullpens that I’ve seen them throw,” Price said. “And we all know that bullpens and game situations are very different.”

Save your enthusiasm

The Mariners worked on defensive situations Tuesday, and the drill ended, appropriately, with closer Eddie Guardado and a bunch of hooting teammates.

As per his regular-season routine, Guardado stomped to the mound feigning the intensity of a do-or-die situation. Then third base coach Jeff Newman, who had been calling out situations and hitting the ball to every corner of the ballpark, yelled, “OK, we’re three runs ahead, two outs, bottom of the ninth, nobody on base.”

Guardado, hoping for something more dramatic, glared at Newman as if to say, “I can handle better than that.”

Newman then hit a high fly to deep left field that Wladimir Balentien caught near the warning track.

As his teammates cheered his “save,” Guardado celebrated with high-fives.

Snelling needs surgery

M’s manager Mike Hargrove barely got to see Chris Snelling before the outfielder went down with a knee injury that required surgery Tuesday. Snelling had a torn medial meniscus repaired and will miss about six weeks.

Hargrove said Snelling, who had come to camp with an enthusiastic attitude, was clearly unhappy Monday when he learned he needed surgery.

“I tried to talk to him and he wasn’t much in a talking mood,” Hargrove said.

Notes

Manager Mike Hargrove went to the dentist Monday afternoon with a toothache and came back with another appointment. He’ll have a root canal this afternoon. … Hargrove said he would give his regulars two at-bats today before moving backups into the lineup. … Thursday’s Charity Game against the Padres will open the Mariners’ exhibition season, although it won’t count in the Cactus League standings.