M’s Ramirez remains solid
SURPRISE, Ariz. – Horacio Ramirez got Sammy Sosa again.
But don’t say the Mariners new starter pitcher “owns” Sosa, his former rival slugger in the National League who is trying to come back this season with the Texas Rangers.
“You trying to get me killed, or what?” Ramirez said, laughing after his three scoreless, hitless innings Tuesday afternoon included a strikeout of Sosa in Seattle’s first win of the spring, 10-3 over Texas.
Sosa, the former Cubs home run machine who hasn’t appeared in regular-season game since Aug. 25, 2005, later flied out against Arthur Rhodes and singled off Eric O’Flaherty. In the seventh inning, first-year Texas manager Ron Washington pinch-hit for Sosa as scheduled – even though there were two on and two out in a 4-3 game.
Sosa, in camp on a minor league contract, is 3 for 9 with a solo home run and three strikeouts in three spring games.
He is 2 for 5 with four strikeouts in his career against Ramirez in games that count. But one of those two hits is a home run.
That is what Ramirez, a former Atlanta Braves player, remembers.
“In 2003. Wrigley Field. Cutter in. Game right before the All-Star break,” Ramirez said – not that he recalls much about it.
Ramirez, one of three new Mariners starters, has been their best one so far in camp. He has allowed just one hit and no runs in five innings this spring – including last week’s charity exhibition game that doesn’t count in Cactus League statistics.
Ramirez, who’s had injuries derail two of his last three seasons, also showed his athleticism in the first inning. He ran to the third-base line, grabbed Frank Catalanotto’s slow roller and made an accurate, off-balance throw off of a turned ankle for an out. Then he reached back across his body while still on the mound to snare Michael Young’s hard one-hopper for another out, before he struck out Sosa.
“I love fielding ground balls and stuff like that – as long as they’re not line drives at my head,” Ramirez said.
He had one of those last June 11, a screamer by Houston’s Lance Berkman off the left side of his skull. He missed one start because of that.
Jamey Wright, a non-roster invitee who is in a jumbled race for the last spot in the rotation, showed the aggressiveness the Rangers are demanding in his spring debut.
He allowed one hit, one walk and two unearned runs in two innings. The runs scored when second baseman Ramon Vasquez threw a potential inning-ending double play grounder by Brian LaHair into left field in the second inning.
Wright, 32, has been in six different organizations since 2000 and was 6-10 last season for San Francisco. He said he is eagerly taking the advice of Rangers pitch coach Mark Connor to be more aggressive, even menacing.
“In the past I’d go out there and think, ‘Don’t walk guys. Don’t get behind guys.’ And what happens? You end up walking guys and giving up runs,” Wright said.
Connor said his directive to Wright is simple.
“Put some fear into hitters,” Connor said. “I mean, the guy’s 6-6 (listed as 6-5) and 245 pounds, with great stuff. Let’s go.”
Notes
Texas right-hander Akinori Otsuka pitched a scoreless inning, got a strikeout and retired countryman Ichiro Suzuki on a groundout. The former Padre then left for San Diego to have emergency dental work done. Otsuka, who had a 2.11 ERA with 32 saves last season, is scheduled to rejoin the Rangers tonight. … Seattle first baseman Richie Sexson is 0 for 10 this spring. … Adam Jones, whom the Mariners converted from shortstop to center field last year before he made his major league debut in July, replaced Ichiro and made a running, leaping catch at the wall of a drive by Hank Blalock. That saved two runs in the sixth.