King Felix off the money in final spring training start

GOODYEAR, Ariz. – A quick glance at Felix Hernandez’s pitching line and his overall spring-training numbers might be a cause for concern for someone who puts stock into spring-training numbers.

In Tuesday’s 8-6 loss to the Cleveland Indians, Hernandez failed to make it out of the second inning. The Mariners ace gave up seven runs and five hits with, two walks, a hit batter and two strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings pitched.

And those five hits were more blasts than bloops. There was a two-run homer from Brandon Moss in the first inning and two-run double off the wall from Carlos Santana in the second.

Hernandez finished the Cactus League with a 10.22 ERA, having given up 14 runs in 12 1/3 innings.

With his next start coming Monday at Safeco Field on opening day against the Los Angeles Angels, should Mariners fans be concerned about this outing or his spring numbers?

The manager has no such reservations.

“I have no concerns at all,” Lloyd McClendon said. “I don’t know what he did in his last start before the season last year.”

For the record, Hernandez pitched five innings, giving up three runs and five hits with six strikeouts in his final start of spring training in 2014.

It’s instructive to remember that Hernandez was brilliant in his previous outing before Tuesday’s start, tossing six innings and allowing one run on two hits with four strikeouts and no walks

There were reasons for Hernandez’s struggles Tuesday.

“Today was not good,” Hernandez said. “I couldn’t get my balance. I was like falling back. I couldn’t feel my legs. Physically, I was fine. Mechanically, it was the problem. I was up the entire game.”

It’s something that can be fixed.

McClendon believes the mechanical issues were a result of tired legs.

“The trainers will tell you that his workout, for some reason, didn’t coincide with his start,” McClendon said. “He did too much on his legs. He didn’t have his legs out there. There was no gathering or turning.”

Ramirez off to Tampa

Out of minor-league options but not good enough to make the Mariners’ 25-man roster going forward, Erasmo Ramirez no longer fit into the Mariners’ plans.

Seattle sent the 24-year-old right-hander to the Tampa Bay Rays for left-handed pitcher Mike Montgomery.

Montgomery, 25, was on the Rays’ 40-man roster and still in major-league spring training. He has minor-league options, which is a benefit for the Mariners.

He has been a starter for most of his career, going 10-5 in 25 starts last year for Triple-A Durham.

He’d been pitching in relief this spring, posting a 2.38 ERA in six appearances.

Ramirez was 1-2 with a 6.23 ERA this spring. He went 1-6 with a 5.26 ERA last season.

Weeks tries hand at first

There wasn’t an expectation for Rickie Weeks to look like an elite defensive first baseman. And he didn’t.

But Weeks looked viable and competent in his first start at first base in his professional career.

“It was different,” he said. “The big stuff I kind of knew. But the small stuff – cutoffs and knowing where to be – wasn’t natural.”

McClendon wasn’t asking for much from him.

“Just catch the ball,” he said of his pregame advice to Weeks. “I don’t think he’s going to be a Gold Glover the first time out. He played second base for several years, so I’m sure he’ll be fine around the bag.”