Mariners Notebook: Hyphen, Buhner excited for new roles

For those who regularly watch Seattle Mariners baseball, this season’s broadcasts are going to have a different feel than years past.

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After the departures of longtime play-by-play voice Dave Sims and color analyst Mike Blowers, the M’s television broadcasts have a new lineup. Joining play-by-play voice Aaron Goldsmith in the booth this season are ex-Mariners Ryan Rowland-Smith, Jay Buhner and Dave Valle, and former UW softball star and longtime ROOT Sports host Angie Mentink.

Rowland-Smith and Buhner were on hand Sunday during the M’s opening week warm-up event at T-Mobile Park, and both expressed excitement for their new roles with the team.

“This is where I like to be, in the booth, man,” said Rowland-Smith, who will also call games on the radio broadcast on Seattle Sports 710 AM. “It’s the absolute best, and I get to do it here in Seattle. So really, really excited, and the fact that I get to do opening day next to an absolute pro like Aaron Goldsmith, the word is grateful. That’s the word I’m using.

“I’m just gonna work super hard to make sure it sounds great and fans enjoy it.”

Rowland-Smith (also known by his nickname “Hyphen”) pitched in five big league seasons, including four with the Mariners (2007-10). He’s been a regular on Seattle’s pregame and postgame shows in recent years and is also a contributor on MLB Network, a role he plans to continue on top of his expanded duties with the Mariners.

“It’ll be roughly once a month back over there (at MLB Network) for about five or six days, which only helps here too,” he said. “When you get more of a 30-team sort of view … it helps here I think and vice versa. I can go over there and give a lot of Mariner insight, so they sort of work together.”

Buhner, a fan favorite during his 14-year tenure (1988-2001) in Seattle, is making his return after more than a decade away from the booth. The Mariners Hall of Fame member was teammate of manager Dan Wilson for eight years and organizational hitting coordinator Edgar Martinez for 14.

“I’m excited to get back into it. I’m excited to be a part of the team. I’m excited next be close (to some) of my dearest friends in Danny and Gar,” Buhner said. “… It’ll be nice to have a front row seat a little bit, and then hang out with them a little bit and then get up into the booth and talk Mariner winning baseball.”

What Hyphen is watching, breakout picks

Getting off to a fast start has become a popular talking point about the Mariners as the season approaches. When you consider that Seattle has missed the playoffs by two or fewer games in three of the past four seasons, it does make sense. But the M’s also held a 10-game lead in the American League West last June before seeing that advantage slip away in a season that ended without a postseason berth.

Rowland-Smith is paying less attention to the wins and losses early on and more attention to the process on the field.

“A couple things I wanna look for is: OK, obviously cut down on the strikeout numbers and just getting it done in the counts,” he said. “If you walk out of April and you’re still (not) at 20 wins once you get into the month of May, I’m OK with that, but I want to start to see some of those underlying things to say (players are) in a good place. … If you can start to see that, I think you’re gonna be OK.”

As for who Rowland-Smith thinks will take a step forward in 2025, he highlighted designated hitter/backup catcher Mitch Garver and second baseman Ryan Bliss.

The 34-year-old Garver is coming off a first season with the Mariners that was marred by major struggles. He hit just .172 with a .627 OPS and 15 home run in 144 games, accumulating a minus-0.4 fWAR, but he’s turned things around during the spring. Garver entered Monday’s final spring training game hitting .314 with a 1.005 OPS and three home runs in 35 at-bats.

“There’s just a different feel to this guy – different confidence,” Rowland-Smith said. “… If he could just get back to what we saw a couple of years ago and he pushes himself up in that lineup a little bit, he’s gonna be another impact player.”

After getting a short look at the big league level last season, Bliss is battling for a spot on the opening day roster this spring. The 25-year-old second baseman has done quite a bit to support his case. In 39 Cactus League at-bats entering Monday, he was hitting .308 with a .787 OPS and five extra-base hits.

“He’s such a good dude, I hope he gets a chance to play a ton,” Rowland-Smith said.. “… I don’t know if he’s gonna make the team, but I know he’s gonna come up at some point and just be that second baseman. I’d love to see that.”

How pitching staff impressed Buhner

While down at spring training with the club in Peoria, Ariz., Buhner had plenty of opportunities to connect with current Mariners. Of course, the former All-Star right fielder had plenty of conversations with hitters. But it was actually the pitching staff who Buhner said he spoke with most.

“They want to know what my thinking process was as a hitter, and did I try to set the pitcher up and all that,” Buhner said. “These guys are not afraid to ask questions and take advantage of it, and I think that’s huge.”

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Buhner highlighted two aspects that he feels are key in the success the staff has experienced.

“They attack the strike zone, they don’t nibble. That’s why they’re successful,” Buhner said. “And they can throw pretty much any pitch anytime in the count, but they’re also smart to not give up all those pitches and save it. If they’re dominating on a couple of pitches, they stay with that until (hitters) can prove them wrong.

“So that’s one of the conversations I had with several of them, is save the arsenal. If you don’t need it that day, than save it because trust me, it’s in the back of (the hitters’) mind.”

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