Mariners notebook: All is not settled at the top

PEORIA, Ariz. – No, Rickie Weeks does not have another dental appointment. He is at the top of the Mariners’ lineup tonight with Austin Jackson hitting second because it is something that manager Lloyd McClendon wants to see. He likes both Jackson and Weeks as leadoff hitters and there is a chance we could see a Weeks/Jackson one-two in the regular season.

“Austin led of yesterday, Rickie is leading off today,” McClendon said. “Just playing with things, see what makes things tick a little better, so to speak.”

Both have spent the majority of their careers in the leadoff spot and each brings something different to the top of the lineup.

“Rickie has close to 3,000 at-bats in the leadoff spot,” McClendon said. “I think he has 100 home runs in the leadoff spot. There’s a lot to like about him there. Austin is a speed guy, hits a lot of triples, doubles. They both bring a lot to the table.”

The Tigers experimented with Jackson hitting lower in the order last year and it was something he admitted to not being entirely comfortable with. Hitting second would be a less dramatic shift if that is the direction that McClendon decides to go. As for Weeks, leadoff is a spot where he is very comfortable.

“I kind of had to grow into it I think a little bit,” he said. “Early on I think it was, ‘you’ve got to see pitches and do this and that.’ But I just got to be myself. For me, I see pitches pretty well. I just have to go out there and try to stay aggressive and do my thing.”

Stay aggressive and do his thing wherever he is in the order. Last year with Milwaukee he hit everywhere but cleanup. He prefers to have one set spot.

“I can hit in a whole bunch of different places, I guess,” he said of the experience in 2014. “I don’t like that, obviously. You want to stay in the same spot, but at the same time you just want to help the team.”

Weeks believes knowing your spot in the order makes a big difference for most hitters.

“It helps a lot. For a hitter I think it is just one of those comfort things,” he said. “Let’s be honest, there are certain parts of the order where you are pitched differently. There are certain situations that come up more than others, obviously. Down more in the order you are going to see more guys on base. Things like that a guy gets comfortable with.”

Weeks may not have much of a chance to get comfortable this year playing a new position, most likely starting the season as a part of a platoon and not yet knowing where in the order he will hit. He is up for anything, however. The opportunity in Seattle is a good one for him and by all appearances he has embraced it.

Lineup!

Rickie Weeks, DH
Austin Jackson, CF
Robinson Cano, 2B
Nelson Cruz, RF
Kyle Seager, 3B
Justin Ruggiano, LF
Logan Morrison, 1B
Mike Zunino, C
Brad Miller, SS

Taijuan Walker, SP

Weeks is at the top of the lineup as the designated hitter. We haven’t seen him in the field since Saturday against the Cubs but he tells me that he is healthy and there are no dings or dents keeping him out of the field.

We’ve seen more of Cruz in the field than I thought we would. He is making his sixth start in right tonight.

McClendon likes where Ackley’s at

McClendon is happy with what he has seen from Dustin Ackley at the plate this spring.

“I like where he’s at,” McClendon said. “He’s coming along nicely.”

McClendon said he plans to keep Ackley lower in the order this year and won’t be tempted to move him up.

“I won’t make that mistake again,” he said.

Why?

“Because it didn’t work,” McClendon said with a laugh, but clearly still stung by the move. “He was in a comfortable position, he was swinging very well, he was very productive in the bottom half of the order. To hit at the top of the order it takes a different mindset and in some ways it probably messed with his psyche a little bit and I knew it going in. I was just trying to find a spark.”

Notes

• Also scheduled to pitch tonight are Dominic Leone, Carson Smith and Fernando Rodney.

• Split-squad action tomorrow with Felix Hernandez starting the game against the Royals in Peoria and Roenis Elias to start in Maryvale against the Brewers.

• Danny Farquhar made an appearance in a minor-league game earlier today. He pitched one inning and struck out two.

• The Mariners are averaging 8,569 fans per game this year in Peoria. In 2014 they averaged 6,875.

• Jesus Sucre is expected to be back in a (split squads) lineup tomorrow.

• “The Cactus League Report” will air before the game tonight and will be broadcast from the radio booth at Peoria Stadium. The show returns to the Salty Senorita next Wednesday. Guests tonight include Felix, Cano and Cruz.

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