Mariners notebook: Happ debut and Felix takes over the scheduling

PEORIA, Ariz. – Today we get our first look at J.A. Happ, who will have one of the spots in the Mariners rotation.

Happ has been going about the business of getting ready for the season and working on improving his changeup. It is a pitch that pitching coach Rick Waits is said crucial to have in his arsenal and one that he has had success with in the past. Consistency is the key, and to that end he has been trying to get more comfortable with the grip he has settled on for that pitch. According to Waits we should expect to see him work on the changeup quite a bit in his early games.

“There will be changeups. There will be a lot of changeups,” he said.

Also making his spring debut will be Fernando Rodney. Who knows what to expect from him in the spring.

Lineup!

Jones 9
Jackson 8
Seager 5
Cruz DH
Peterson 3
Bloomquist 4
Chavez 7
Taylor 6
Sucre 2

Happ

Willie Bloomquist is at second for the second time in the last three days and unfortunately, this was not planned. Robinson Cano is not with the team today as he has returned to the Dominican Republic following the passing of his grandfather. He received the news yesterday morning but played in the game before leaving for home. On his way out he stopped by Rickie Weeks’ locker to give him a congratulatory fist bump after his mammoth home run. There is no word yet as to when Cano will return.

Also of note, six games in (one split squad) and Chris Taylor will make his fourth start at short today. Brad Miller has made two with one being in the split squad away game, which was managed by bench coach Trent Jewett. In other words, Taylor is getting a very good look early.

Notes

• If there was any doubt, Lloyd McClendon all but confirmed, that Felix Hernandez will be the Opening Day starter. “You got anyone better?” he answered when asked. “I am 99.9999 percent sure Felix will be the starter.” So there you go.

• Franklin Gutierrez played back-to-back games Friday-Saturday and did have some trouble. Turns out he came out of Saturday’s game early with right groin tightness.

“I think it wasn’t as bad as he thought it was,” said McClendon. “It’s to be expected after not playing for almost two years. We’ll get him a couple of days off then try to get him back out there.”

• Danny Hultzen is scheduled to get an inning in the game Wednesday.

• Why was Felix’s first Cactus League start moved from Wednesday to Tuesday? Because he didn’t want to pitch on the off day. A Wednesday start would have put Felix’s next start on regular rest on Monday, which is the only day off this spring. Felix would have had to come in and pitch a sim game that day to remain on regular rest. “Whatever the King wants, the King gets,” said McClendon.

• Roenis Elias will pitch after Felix in Wednesday’s game. “I didn’t want to come in on my off day either,” quipped McClendon on that move. Good move. Neither do I.

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