M’s get chilling news

The Seattle Mariners know they can’t change the weather, but they’re livid at what has happened again with their schedule.

The team released its 2008 schedule on Thursday, and for the second consecutive year it will send them to an Eastern city in early April for a four-game series that could cause season-long problems if the weather is bad.

This year, the Mariners’ entire four-game opening road series at Cleveland – their only scheduled trip there – was snowed out. It caused them to make three separate trips back to Cleveland on scheduled off days for makeup games. The fourth game was made up last week at Safeco Field when the Indians were in Seattle.

In 2008, the Mariners will play their first three games at home against the Texas Rangers, beginning March 31, then play four at Baltimore April 4-7 to start their first road trip. It’s their only trip to Baltimore.

“It makes us very nervous already,” Mariners president Chuck Armstrong said. “We complained about that trip.”

Major League Baseball sets the schedule and, although teams are asked for suggestions, the Mariners don’t believe their concern carried much weight.

Lowe throws again

Relief pitcher Mark Lowe, whose comeback from major elbow surgery hit a snag this summer, has been throwing at the Mariners’ training facility in Peoria, Ariz.

“He’s looking real good,” said manager John McLaren, who lives in Peoria. “I saw him yesterday and he threw and he said he feels real good. That’s really good news.”

With Brandon Morrow competing for a spot in the starting rotation and elbow surgery to Chris Reitsma, the Mariners will need a hard-throwing right-hander like Lowe in the bullpen next year.

Coaching update

General manager Bill Bavasi and assistant GM Lee Pelekoudas are in Arizona and plan to meet with McLaren about the 2008 coaching staff.

“I would say something will happen shortly,” McLaren said, without being specific.