Notebook: Mike Zunino’s hot start in Triple-A won’t alter Mariners’ plan

CLEVELAND – As you no doubt have heard by now, Mike Zunino was named player of the week in the Pacific Coast League after posting a .441 average and hitting four home runs in his first eight games. For an encore, he hit two more homers hours after Monday’s announcement that he had won the award.

“He’s having a good week,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said when asked about the significance of what Zunino has shown so far.

One week obviously will not alter the plan for Zunino to get significant time in the minors this year in order to catch up on what was missed earlier in his professional career. Still, this kind of start no doubt helps with the process.

“That’s what he needs, to get some confidence,” Servais said, noting that he had talked to a number of people who had seen Zunino in recent days. “The big thing that those people said to me is he is having fun, and I think that says a lot because as much as he has struggled the last couple of years, it has to be fun, enjoyable at the park, and it’s nice to get some results. Good for him. I’m really excited for him.”

It is not unusual to see big power numbers for players on the Rainiers and they do not always translate to the big leagues. There are reason why they do not and indications that they might not. After cautioning about this with Jesus Montero for a better part of the season last year, I asked Servais what the organization will look for beyond averages and OPS with not only Zunino but other hitters.

“We’ve been talking about it for some time,” Servais said. “Their ability to control the strike zone, strikeouts to walks, how consistently are they hitting the ball hard? Power numbers are great, but they can get inflated in the PCL; we all know that. The quality of the at-bats. Talking to the manager, the hitting coach, a number of rovers who go in. 

“I did that job in the past and there were plenty of players over time that I would get a call from the GM (about) and they would say, ‘What have you got?’ and ‘I know what the numbers look like, but maybe (they’re) not quite ready yet.’ You have to trust the people that are seeing him every day. They have to have a feel for where we are at as a big-league club and where the player is at at Triple-A. You have to take it all into context of where it is at and you have got to trust the people who are seeing him every day.”

In a game of constant adjustments, a week is not much. And it’s not just success they are looking for from Zunino.

“It needs to be a process for him,” Servais said. “If he does take an 0-for-10, how does he respond to that? Is he getting out of that?”

Eventually we shall see. For now, a great start is a great start. And as the skipper said, good for Zunino.

Lineup!

Norichika Aoki, LF
Seth Smith, DH
Robinson Cano, 2B
Nelson Cruz, RF
Kyle Seager, 3B
Adam Lind, 1B
Chris Iannetta, C
Leonys Martin, CF
Ketel Marte, SS

Wade Miley, LHP

Can Seager, Lind get going in Cleveland?

The Mariners will face three righties in Cleveland, which should be a welcomed sight for the some of lefties in the lineup. Adam Lind has struggled to find any kind of consistency and Kyle Seager has been mired in an early-season slump.

“He has been a slow starter,” Servais said of Seager. “I was looking at some of his stuff earlier today in his career. He’ll get going. He’s going to stay in the middle of our lineup.”

Seager is well known to be a tinkerer. He spends a lot of time looking at video and is constantly tweaking his swing. Servais does not believe this is part of the problem.

“It’s kind of how they are wired,” he said. “Some players are like that. It’s trying to get that feel, trying to get a comfort feel. Kyle’s going to be fine. I’m not worried about that one at all.”

Off-day bowling

We heard quite a bit about the get-to-know sessions and activities for the players in spring training. Well, Servais had one for the staff Monday night in Cleveland.

According to a few who were present, Servais sent a message Monday to the coaches and staff members who are on the trip, telling them that they were required to be at a bowling event that evening. It warned that if they did not show up, they might have to make an appearance in Kangaroo Court.

The bowling alley was a nice one that served food and drinks on what is a great alley of restaurants near the stadium. Felix Hernandez and a couple of players were walking by when they noticed the group through the windows.

“Whoa, whoa!” said Felix, who saw them from the street and came inside to watch for a few minutes. “The whole staff is in there! They were having fun.”

By all accounts, the Mariners are not in any danger of losing anyone to the tour.

Notes

• This will be Wade Miley’s first start at Progressive Field, which leaves Target Field in Minneapolis as the only stadium in which he has not pitched. Another fun Miley fact: He’s the only pitcher in the American League who has made at least two starts and has yet to issue a walk.

• Two relievers on the mend have taken significant steps forward. Ryan Cook and Evan Scribner, who both suffered lat injuries in spring training, have resumed throwing. Servais said that Cook, who is eligible to come off the 60-day disabled list on June 2, is ahead of Scribner.

Follow @shannondrayer