Tuiasosopo steadily moves up M’s system

PEORIA, Ariz. – Matt Tuiasosopo hadn’t been in too many of these situations. Not as a pro baseball player, anyway.

Tuiasosopo was up at bat in a 6-5 game, in the bottom of the ninth inning with the Mariners trailing the Chicago Cubs on Monday. Two runners were on base with two out.

Tuiasosopo – yes, that family name known and respected for its athletic prowess in the Seattle area – had a chance to be a hero. He could win or tie the game and complete a four-run comeback. Mariners fans shouted his nickname from the stands.

Alas, Tuiasosopo struck out swinging against Bob Howry, a nine-year major league veteran. The Mariners lost the spring-training game. Tuiasosopo trudged back to the dugout, gathered his things, greeted friends and posed for a photo, and headed back to the Mariners’ facility.

The game didn’t count for much more than experience and getting in shape. You couldn’t ask for anything more than the opportunity to hit in that situation, Tuiasosopo was told as he left the stadium.

“Exactly,” he said.

Seems the 21-year-old has the right attitude, whether he strikes out or gets a hit.

“I love Tui,” Mariners manager John McLaren said. “He has a really high ceiling. He’s got a chance to be an outstanding player.”

Tuiasosopo, a former three-sport standout from Woodinville, Wash., has advanced through the Mariners’ farm system every year since being drafted in the third round in June 2004. He was in Everett that summer, moved to Class A long-season Wisconsin in 2005, Class A Inland Empire and Double-A San Antonio in 2006 and Double-A West Tennessee for all of last season.

He struggled at San Antonio, hitting only .185 after a .306 average at Inland Empire. But the Mariners decided to start him at the Double-A level again in 2007.

“There was a little bit of concern because he hadn’t hit at Double-A that it would hurt his confidence,” Greg Hunter, the M’s director of player development, said. “But we knew that he comes from a good family. He’s a good athlete. He has a good makeup. And we thought he would persevere through it, which he did.”

Tuiasosopo hit .260 after hovering around .300 most of the season and flashed a good glove, having permanently made the move to third base.

“Love third base,” Tuiasosopo said. “It feels like home. I really feel like a baseball player now, whereas before I still felt like an athlete and still learning and everything. I’m still learning, but baseball’s the only thing on my mind now.”

Tuiasosopo was invited as a nonroster player to spring training, and is gleaning knowledge from the likes of Mariners Raul Ibanez, Adrian Beltre and Willie Bloomquist.

The next step in his upward progression is even closer to home with Triple-A Tacoma. If Tuiasosopo has a good spring, the organization hopes to send him there after camp.

Slow start for Ichiro

Seattle’s perennial All-Star Ichiro Suzuki asked for an extra at-bat late in the Mariners’ 5-2 loss to the Oakland Athletics on Saturday but went hitless again with a sharp lineout, leaving him 0 for 14 this spring.

“I told him to bunt. I was just making light of it,” Mariners manager John McLaren said.

Yet the pack of Japanese media who follow Ichiro’s every breath are starting to get breathless over this spring slump.

McLaren has a message for all: Exhale.

“How many batting titles has he won? Five? I think it’s funny,” he said, exaggerating by three Ichiro’s total in the major leagues.