PEORIA, Ariz. – With the minor leaguers now playing games against other organizations it is no longer necessary for simulated or intrasquad games to be put together for Mariners pitchers that manager Lloyd McClendon is keeping from early-season opponents. Hisashi Iwakuma will make a start today for the Triple-A Mariners against the Triple-A Rangers here in Peoria on Field 6. Erasmo Ramirez will start in Tempe against the Angels.

I sat in for a couple of innings on the Saturday radio broadcast against the Cubs and asked Mike Blowers about how much of a difference it could make to not show starters considering that division rivals have seen plenty of Mariners pitchers. He pointed out that even the most familiar teams have new players, so in that respect it can give the pitcher a bit of an edge. Interestingly enough, Angels manager Mike Scioscia – who is known for playing every possible advantage – is going with his regular starter, Matt Shoemaker.

Iwakuma is scheduled to throw five to six innings while Ramirez – who will be backed up by Jordan Pries – should go four to five innings. The downside of having actual minor-league games vs. the simulated games is they are 1 p.m. starts, so no doubleheader today. Pitching coach Rick Waits will stay behind to watch Iwakuma while McClendon will stay with the major-league team. I was tempted to stay back and watch Iwakuma but McClendon is going with a good number of regulars and the majority of the Angels’ A-team is in the lineup, so to Tempe I go.

Lineups!

Chavez, 8
Weeks, DH
Smith, 9
Seager, 5
Zunino, 2
Morrison, 3
Bloomquist, 6
Ackley, 7
T. Smith, 4

Erasmo Ramirez, SP

Calhoun, 9
Trout, 8
Pujols, 3
Joyce, DH
Freese, 5
Aybar, 6
Giavotella, 4
Green, 7
Perez, 2

Shoemaker, SP

Willie Bloomquist makes his 2015 debut at shortstop today for the final test of his surgically repaired knee. He is the only player on the projected 25-man roster who can back up short, so this is something to watch. So far he has had no troubles with the knee. Side-to-side mobility will be the biggest question mark at short.

Notes

• While Iwakuma is pitching for the Triple-A Mariners today, he is not necessarily pitching for the Rainiers as minor-league assignments are not made until the end of camp. Groups are breaking off into what looks like Low- and High-A, Double-A and Triple-A teams but nothing is official yet.

• Jesus Sucre, who left Sunday’s game with hip soreness, is expected to be able to play Tuesday.

• Upcoming probables: Tuesday at San Diego, Happ vs. Cashner; Wednesday vs. Chicago, Walker vs. Wood; Thursday vs. Kansas City, Felix vs. TBA; at Milwaukee, Elias vs. Fiers.

Related

Inactives: Who’s in, who’s out for Seahawks vs ChiefsPenix, Falcons hand NFC West-leading 49ers their 1st lossAP Top 25: No. 1 Miami only team to hold its spot in new pollSeahawks-Chiefs Info: TV, announcers, uniforms and series historyWhy Mina Kimes says Seahawks’ game vs Chiefs is ‘huge’Who has the edge? Previewing the matchups in Seahawks vs Chiefs

By Shannon Drayer

OAKLAND, Calif. – We had an interesting talk this morning with Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon about the progress we are seeing with the ballclub, and surprisingly he wanted to focus on what we are not seeing.

The conversation I think gave us a good picture of what he is doing and how he and his coaches are going about the business of managing this team. I will have a post up later today (plenty of time to write with two games) about this. There was a lot to like in what McClendon was saying. These wins aren’t just happening. There is still a lot of work going on. For now, the lineup for Game 1 of the no-rainout doubleheader.

Lineup!

Michael Saunders, 9
James Jones, 8
Robinson Cano, 4
Corey Hart, DH
Justin Smoak, 3
Kyle Seager, 5
Dustin Ackley, 7
Brad Miller, 6
Mike Zunino, 2

Felix Hernandez

The team is 6-2 when Michael Saunders leads off. McClendon is not about to take him out of that spot.

“You don’t argue with success,” he said. “You certainly don’t mess with it. For whatever the reason is. I don’t know what the reason is but he has done a nice job and we are winning, so he will stay there.”

The Mariners have scored in the first inning in four of the six games so far on this roadtrip.

Felix gets the start and should be at 100 percent after battling the flu in his start against the Yankees last week. The Mariners could use some innings from him as the bullpen is a bit short with McClendon wanting to stay away from Dominic Leone and possibly Charlie Furbush. I would expect McClendon to use both Fernando Rodney and Danny Farquhar if there are save opportunities in both games.

Notes

• The Mariners left home 11 days ago in fourth place in the division. With a sweep today they would come home in first place. Seattle has never swept a four-game series against the A’s in Oakland.

• Furbush has had back-to-back good outings, facing one batter in each. On Monday he came up with a crucial double play on four pitches and last night a strikeout of Brandon Moss on three. Monday he got the outs using his fastball only, while last night the first two strikes came on his slider, which has been giving him problems lately.

Before the game, pitching coach Rick Waits told me that Furbush had a much better feel for the pitch in recent days and that he was very close to getting back to where he needed to be with the pitch. This could be big for both Furbush and the team.

• Good news on another reliever. Last night Stephen Pryor threw three scoreless innings in the Rainiers’ 7-0 win over Reno. The three innings was a career high for Pryor, who has been making good progress coming back from the lat injury. I am told he has been sitting 91-93 mph with the fastball but also hitting 94 and 95. According to Waits, Pryor has been getting outs early in counts and they are very encouraged by what they have seen.

Related

Inactives: Who’s in, who’s out for Seahawks vs ChiefsPenix, Falcons hand NFC West-leading 49ers their 1st lossAP Top 25: No. 1 Miami only team to hold its spot in new pollSeahawks-Chiefs Info: TV, announcers, uniforms and series historyWhy Mina Kimes says Seahawks’ game vs Chiefs is ‘huge’Who has the edge? Previewing the matchups in Seahawks vs Chiefs