Mariners put Ryan at shortstop, move Wilson to second base

PEORIA, Ariz. – Jack Wilson did his best to take one for the team with which he’s unlikely to finish the season.

On the day Wilson was moved to second base, the veteran shortstop said all the right things about helping the Mariners win. Wilson, 33, also talked about the camaraderie between him and new shortstop Brendan Ryan, and how the infield combination between the pair should be a good one.

What Wilson didn’t bring up was his contract status and the likely role it played in this somewhat surprising decision 10 days before the season opener. With Wilson earning $5 million in his final contract year, the winter acquisition of Ryan, 28, as his cost-effective heir apparent, meant this move was inevitably going to take place sometime in 2011.

And now, the Mariners have made it before the season even begins.

“By no means am I not a shortstop any more in my own heart and eyes and I’ll probably go back there at some point,” Wilson said. “It’s whatever the team needs. It would be stupid of me to try to come in and say, ‘I’m a shortstop’ or whatever it is. I play for the Mariners and this is what they’ve come up with.

“They’ve got a great shortstop in Brendan. I think, when you have that problem – when you’ve got two shortstops that are pretty high as far as defensive-wise – it’s a win-win situation any way you go. I’ll go out there and do my best.”

Ryan didn’t miss a beat during a 9-4 win over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday afternoon at Peoria Stadium. He doubled and scored a run in the fourth inning, just moments after making a nice defensive play and throw on a ground ball that deflected off third baseman Josh Wilson.

“We’re going to have a lot of fun together this year,” Ryan said of himself and Jack Wilson. “I don’t want to say how good this tandem could be or anything, but I’d like to think of myself as a pretty good shortstop. You know what Jack is capable of, so the two of us up the middle should be a pretty fun and unique opportunity. So, I’m definitely looking forward to that.”

Mariners manager Eric Wedge pointed out that the switch now leaves a veteran on both sides of the infield – Jack Wilson on the right side and third baseman Chone Figgins on the left. The presence of Wilson at second could be steadying for young first baseman Justin Smoak.

Second base is also somewhat less demanding physically than playing shortstop, and Wilson certainly has had his injury issues, though Wedge said that was only a minimal consideration.

“I think we could have gone either way,” Wedge said. “But, ultimately, I felt that it was a more comfortable fit for us.”

What nobody was mentioning was prized second baseman Dustin Ackley, who will likely start the season in Triple-A and then be called up after May. If Ryan started the year at second base, he’d have to make a midseason move to shortstop once Ackley was promoted.

In that scenario, Wilson would be traded to a contender by the July trade deadline or eased out of the infield picture.

By moving Ryan to shortstop now, to begin with, there would be no midseason disruption. Instead, Ackley could split playing time at second with Jack Wilson until the team decided its next move.

Wilson says he has felt great this spring after dropping 25 pounds to take pressure off his hamstrings. He entered Tuesday hitting .448 with an on-base-plus-slugging percentage of 1.170, and playing what he said was some of his best defense in years.

M’s thump ChiSox

Felix Hernandez and the Mariners got exactly what they wanted Tuesday: five solid innings and a healthy exit for the 2010 A.L. Cy Young Award winner.

Hernandez retired 12 of the last 13 batters he faced, leading Seattle to a 9-5 victory over the Chicago White Sox in Peoria, Ariz.

Mike Wilson doubled in a run and Matt Tuiasosopo doubled in two during a four-run sixth inning that gave the M’s a 7-3 lead.