Mariners notebook: Superhero costumes make their return
May 19, 2016, 9:58 AM
BALTIMORE – Ever wonder how this team bounces back from a loss? Well, they put on their super hero capes and keep moving.
Just two #Mariners heading to the batting cage. pic.twitter.com/wXxCPj4lcB
— Shannon Drayer (@shannondrayer) May 19, 2016
Day game after a night game, quick turnaround, no batting practice on the field as it is Weather Day for the good kids of Baltimore, but the work goes on. This was the sight I saw as I stood in the service-level elevator lobby: Two capes walked by, heading down the tunnel to the batting cages. Nelson Cruz and Robinson Cano in their superhero costumes chatting away with bats in hand. Nice enough to stop for a picture.
Earlier in the clubhouse I witnessed an animated conversation between Kyle Seager and anyone who passed by – Scott Servais, Steve Cishek, Casey Candaele, Brad Adam, you name it – breaking down the physics of his “overjump” on a ball hit to him in last night’s loss. Seager insisted there weren’t many third basemen in the league that could overjump that ball. Wade Miley pointed out that it was all good, turning a “FO into a GO.” Groundouts are always better for the pitcher, he said. Seager wondered if he had more hops at altitude and perhaps that was the problem. Plenty of opinions were given, but the consensus of course was he made the play after knocking the ball down so good enough.
No pool table on the road but still fun to be had.
Notes
• Steve Clevenger is getting the start at catcher for the day game after the night game, and he is happy to play close to home – very close to home. He grew up walking distance from the ballpark here in Baltimore and attended many games at Camden Yards including the 2131 game when Cal Ripkin Jr. broke the consecutive games record. Growing up in Baltimore as a shortstop – he was converted to catcher by the Cubs – you would think that Ripkin had to be his favorite player, right? Well not quite. “Definitely a big Cal fan but my favorite player was Joe Orsulak,” he said. “He was a left-handed hitter and I just really liked the way he played the game.” In the baseball-is-a-very-small-world department, Clevenger played on select teams with Wade Miley and summer league teams with reliever Steve Johnson.
• Servais confirmed today that with National League rules in the series in Cincinatti he is planning to play Nelson Cruz in all three games.
• Charlie Furbush is scheduled to throw to live hitters today in Tacoma.
• Here are the lineups for Thursday’s matinee.
