Mariners notebook: Cano says offense “not looking for heroes”

HOUSTON – Lloyd McClendon is not shrugging off the Mariners latest struggles with the bats. There is no “that’s baseball” talk, and with what McClendon has seen the last few days, the results are not a surprise.

“We’ve had bad at-bats,” he pointed out in his pregame meeting with the media. “I’m not going to sugarcoat things. When we are bad at the plate, we’re bad, and I am going to point it out. I don’t care who doesn’t like it.”

McClendon is the first to point out that baseball is tough, sometimes pitchers have good nights and the ball isn’t always going to bounce your way when you have a good approach on offense. But while he isn’t seeing that now, he knows it’s a part of the game.

“I read someone said I’m frustrated. I’m not frustrated. I’m just speaking facts. We’re bad! We’ve got to get better!” he exclaimed. “We’ve got professional hitters in that locker room and they have got to give me better at-bats. It’s just that simple.”

Robinson Cano is one of those professional hitters. While working his way through a personal 4-for-26 slump he is aware of what is going on around him as well.

“Collectively we are not doing our job with men in scoring position,” he told me on the pregame radio show. “We have been leaving too many guys on base. Even in Texas. It’s too much. You have got to take advantage with men in scoring position. You got to get going together, do the little things. We can win this division.”

I asked what he was doing to give teammates a push now that they were a month into the season.

“You have got to know what kind of player you are,” he said. “You need to know the situations in the game, because sometimes you don’t need to wait for the coaches or the manager to give you the sign. There’s a lot you can do. Sometimes you need to sacrifice yourself for the team.”

Sacrificing for the team is something he would like to see become more a part of this team’s identity and personality.

“That is something you need,” he said. “Sometimes you need to sacrifice yourself, let the guy behind you do the job. We are not looking for heroes. We are looking for guys that want to win and play the game.”

He believes the Mariners can get there despite the surprising struggle out of the gates.

“I still believe in team,” he said. “We’re not looking for heroes. We’re looking for winners. We have a great team. Better than last year.”

Lineup!

Jackson 8
Smith DH
Cano 4
Cruz 9
Seager 5
Weeks 7
Morrison 3
Zunino 2
Miller 6

Walker

Notes

• Rickie Weeks is in the lineup despite the fact the team is facing a righty. Dustin Ackley, who is 0 for 16 vs Collin McHugh, is sitting out. Lloyd McClendon again said it was a possibility that we could see more righties against righties going forward.

• Tom Wilhelmsen checked out of his first bullpen session since hyperextending his elbow with no problems and remains on schedule to throw another one Sunday.

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