Mariners notebook: New catcher Chris Iannetta hopes to bounce back, help Mike Zunino

While Chris Iannetta said that the No. 1 factor that made Seattle attractive to him was the opportunity to work with its pitching staff, the newest Mariner said the opportunity to prove he was more than his final numbers in 2015 was also a driving factor.

“This past year was a down year, something that obviously I am not proud of,” he said in a conference call with reporters shortly after his signing was announced Monday. “It really affected me. I didn’t want to play the way I did. An opportunity to regain some confidence and go back out there and show what I am capable of doing and play to my potential.”

He posted a slash line of .188/.293/.335/.628 for the Angels last season, and he said the inability to find his swing and timing in spring training carried over into the regular season, with bad habits following. He was encouraged by how he felt at the end of the season, however.

“I finished up strong and felt good about it so hopefully I can put that behind and get back to spring training and do what I normally do and carry it through the season,” he said.

If all goes well, there is the opportunity to earn a second year with the Mariners as his contract, reported by CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman to be worth $4.25 million and includes incentives, does come with a club option that has the potential to vest for 2017.

“It’s an opportunity to go back and prove what I can do and there is some language for me to come back if the Mariners want to,” said Iannetta.

Seattle general manager Jerry Dipoto said in a conference call that Iannetta has been brought in to be the team’s primary catcher. That leaves uncertainty around Mike Zunino, who ended 2015 in the minors after two years of prolonged struggles at the plate.

“Mike comes in with an opportunity to win playing time,” Dipoto said. “Primary catcher is different from what I would consider an everyday player. Whether it be a time share or a backup catcher, Mike’s going to be in a position to win some of that time. He’s still a young guy. We need to get him back on track.”

As for how the Mariners plan to get him back on track, Dipoto is exercising patience.

“We will let time determine that. We are in no rush to make those decisions. There is still a lot of offseason left,” he said.

Regardless of the situation, Iannetta looks forward to working with Zunino and believes his experience could benefit the younger backstop.

“Catching behind him when he’s hitting, I see a lot of the things that I kind of felt when I was young in Colorado and I see a lot of similarities,” Iannetta said. “He’s going to be a really good player. It’s going to happen. He’s too good and too talented a player and he works too hard for it to not happen. I look forward to being around him. I look forward to hopefully helping him because I see a lot of things that I went through when I was a younger player that he’s going through now, and if I can help him get to the next level, I would love to do that.”

As for the rest of the team, Iannetta is looking forward to what the group he has faced from the other side for the last four years can do in 2016.

“With Felix (Hernandez), (Taijuan) Walker, (Hisashi) Iwakuma hopefully they can get him back in the mix, we have a core group of guys,” he said. “Nelson Cruz, Robinson Cano, Kyle Seager, I knew Seth Smith from Colorado, Mark Trumbo with the Angels, just a really good collection of hitters. Maybe construct the lineup with some little guys who get on base and with those four hitters it is going to be a fun year.”

Report of Cano unhappy refuted

Twitter apparently was slow to catch up to a New York Daily News article that came out Saturday afternoon in which former Mariners third base coach Rich Donnelly gave a completely different view of Robinson Cano than that of Andy Van Slyke. The article included an aside that a “long-time friend” of Cano’s told the author recently that Cano was not happy in Seattle.

On his conference call to discuss the signing of Iannetta, Dipoto was asked if he had heard about the report and if it was accurate.

“Quite the opposite,” Dipoto said. “I actually spoke to Robbie’s agent, Brodie Van Wagenen, who reached out to let me know that did not come from Robbie and that was not at all reflective of how he felt.”

Dipoto said that he had a two-hour conversation with Cano at the end of the season that went well. Since then there have been a couple of telephone calls and text exchanges.

“I don’t have any reason to believe he has a problem,” Dipoto said. “He’s not expressed that to me and as we are moving forward we believe he is going to have a strong season as our second baseman.”

For what it’s worth Cano weighed in on Instagram and Twitter with this Monday morning.

Getting ready for next season. @Mariners pic.twitter.com/iSg6IVmUOf

— Robinson Cano (@RobinsonCano) November 23, 2015

Cano is back at work following double sports hernia surgery in October. Tuesday will be a big day for him as well with the first of what he hopes to be many schools his RC22 foundation builds is set to open in the Dominican Republic.

Lloyd McClendon returning to the field

Lloyd McClendon has returned to the Tigers organization to manage their Triple-A team.

Lloyd McClendon named Mud Hens Manager for 2016. #GoMudHens pic.twitter.com/nQKYrb2tpi

— Toledo Mud Hens (@MudHens) November 23, 2015

As much as I think McClendon would have enjoyed a year of golfing, it’s great to see him continue in the game. More on his hiring can be found here.

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