Mariners notebook: Lloyd McClendon and Jerry Dipoto have a good first meeting

Lloyd McClendon and Jerry Dipoto had their first conversation as manager and general manager of the Mariners on Monday morning. The two had crossed paths before, but this conversation obviously was different.

“It was great,” McClendon said. “He’s very energetic, intelligent, dynamic, forward-thinking guy. I thought we hit it off pretty good. We had very honest discussions about a lot of things and it went very well.”

Mariners name former Angels general manager Jerry Dipoto new GM

McClendon would not talk about what was discussed in regard to the club, but the dialogue has begun. It’s too soon to say if they share the same philosophies in the game but according to McClendon there is no doubt they have the same end goal in mind.

“Obviously we haven’t had a chance to sit down and talk about everything surrounding the ball club but listen, I would be hard pressed to think his ultimate goal is not the same one that I have and that’s to win a world championship.”

First and foremost on the minds of many is the future of McClendon and his staff. In his mind, it will work, or it won’t.

“The one thing I told Jerry, and I meant this sincerely, I love Seattle, I love this city, I love the fans and I love working for this organization. But the fact is, Jerry has to be comfortable with me,” McClendon told Rick Rizzs on the pregame radio show. “If he’s not then I shouldn’t be his manager. I think we hit it off pretty good. I thought it was very natural right from the start. This is a guy who played the game, who understands the game and certainly understands what I go through on a regular basis, and I thought it was pretty darn good.

“It’s nice to have a good solid baseball man like Jerry Dipoto in place.”

Lineup!

Ketel Marte, Ss
Kyle Seager, 3B
Nelson Cruz, DH
Robinson Cano, 2B
Mark Trumbo, RF
Seth Smith, LF
Logan Morrison, 1B
Brad Miller, CF
Jesus Sucre, C

Roenis Elias, LHP

Notes

• Dipoto and McClendon have an interesting connection – both were coached in the big leagues by third base coach Rich Donnelly.

“I coached Jerry in Colorado,” Donnelly said. “I just remember he was a gamer, he was a bulldog. Everybody loved Jerry and they loved him more when he competed. Of course I coached Mac in Pittsburgh and you have got two great competitors there so it’s a pretty good combination.”

• The Mariners still don’t have a starter listed for Wednesday. It is looking highly unlikely that James Paxton will be able to make that start. He may be done for the season.

• Stefen Romero is most likely out for the rest of the season with a severely bruised shoulder. Romero crashed into wall in Texas when playing left and has not been able to swing a bat since. Romero, who was sent home from the road trip on Saturday for further tests, was relieved that the MRI did not show any break or fracture of the scapula.

• Monday marked the first time I saw Nelson Cruz mad. Cruz passed by the bat room this afternoon and saw another player about to break a used bat.

“Don’t do that!” he yelled. “Give it to a kid!”

Cruz yelled again not to break the bat and then went into the bat room and lectured his teammate.

“Sign it and give it to a kid, you will make them happy,” he said.

I’m not sure what happened to the bat but that is so Cruz.