Moves are coming

By Shannon Drayer

The clubhouse was closed for longer than the customary 10 minutes following the game last night. Not because Eric Wedge was having words with his team after watching a lackluster offense and sloppy defense get beat 5-4 by the Padres, but because he was busy telling players that they would be on the move.

“I didn’t have a team meeting,” Wedge said when asked if he had addressed the sloppy play. “We have got a series of moves that we are going to be making tomorrow at some point in time. Nothing I can report to you tonight but that is why I was tardy.”

Nothing he could report but one look around the clubhouse could tell you who was going. The Mariners typically do not officially announce moves until the players coming to Seattle are actually at the ballpark, but leaving will be Blake Beavan and Alex Liddi. I would expect Mike Carp and Stephen Pryor, who suffered a groin strain covering first, to be placed on the DL.

Erasmo Ramirez is on his way to Seattle and most likely will take Kevin Millwood’s start on Thursday. I would expect that Franklin Gutierrez will be called back from his rehab assignment as well. Steve Delabar is the most likely candidate to take Pryor’s spot but I wouldn’t rule out the possibility of Carter Capps getting the call, although that would require a 40-man roster move. That leaves one spot to be filled and one would think that would go to Casper Wells.

This team desperately needs help in the outfield. Carp has not looked like himself since the shoulder injury and without him the Mariners were left with two third basemen to man left. That obviously wasn’t going to work out in the long term.

Again, none of these moves are official and with this group I always allow for surprises. I am not expecting anything different but stay tuned. I will keep you updated as we learn more.